SC dismisses petition vs Escudero, Comelec unit over campaign donations

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a petition filed against Sen. Francis Escudero and the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) over campaign donations he received for his 2022 senatorial bid.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia shared the notice of the resolution to reporters on Friday. The document was received by the PFAD on the same day.

“The Court resolved to DISMISS the Petition for Review dated December 23, 2025, filed by the petitioner, for being the wrong remedy,” the resolution issued by SC En Banc dated June 3, 2026, read.

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READ: Comelec: No violation in poll donation to Escudero

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The petition by private citizen John Barry Tayam stemmed from the resolution of PFAD to terminate its investigation into the case of Escudero, citing a lack of evidence to support a complaint that the senator and Lawrene Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc. violated the Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC). PFAD is responsible for reviewing and assessing the statements of contribution and expenditures of poll candidates.

Escudero earlier confirmed that he received a P30 million donation from Lubiano for his senatorial bid, however, he clarified that he did not help the firm secure major flood control projects. The firm was one of the 15 contractors revealed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to be awarded most of the flood control projects in the country.

Section 95(c) of the OEC states that “[n]o contribution for purposes of partisan political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by any of the following: (c) natural and juridical persons who hold contracts or subcontracts to supply the government or any of its divisions, subdivisions, or instrumentalities with goods or services, or to perform construction or other works.”

The last part of the Section 95 also states that “[i]t shall be unlawful for any person to solicit or receive any contribution from any of the persons or entities enumerated herein.”

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PFAD ruled that stock or non-stock corporations are “treated as separate and distinct legal entities from the natural persons composing them.” It added that Lubiano is a “separate legal personality” of his own despite being the firm’s president.

“There is no evidence establishing that the funds used in the contribution originated from Centerways, or that its corporate money crept into campaign funds of respondent Escudero through the contribution made by respondent Lubiano,” the PFAD said in its decision.

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With this, Tayam said that he believes that “Lubiano is Centerways, Centerways is Lubiano.”

“Hindi pwedeng sabihing personal capacity, ang tagal na nyang contractor. It’s a matter of technicalities kaya kailangan ng tulong ng Korte Suprema,” he said in an ambush interview upon filing the petition.

(We can’t say that it’s personal capacity; he’s been a contractor for a long time. It’s a matter of technicalities; that’s why Supreme Court’s help is needed.)

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When sought for a reaction to the SC resolution, Escudero’s camp said: “No comment.” /jpv