WHILE CITING THE supposed transparency of beleaguered Senator Chiz Escudero in declaring donations to his campaign in 2022 on Tiktok, an unidentified lady vlogger took an all-out offensive against the contributions received, but which she hinted were not declared, by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his 2022 campaign kitty.
The lady vlogger identified some of the President’s donors as: Anton Lagdameo, now special assistant to the president, who allegedly donated P247.3 million;Melquiades Robles, who got appointed as general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office,P30 million; contractor Rodolgo Hilot Jr. of Rudhil Construction Enterprises, Inc, P20 million and allegedly bagged P3.23 billion in flood control projects and close to P10.78 from 227 projects from 2022 to 2025; Jonathan Quirante of Quirante Construction, P1 million but bagged 76 flood control projects worth P6.77 billion between 2022 and 2025; Triple 8 Construction in the top 15 of said list bagged P6.38 billion in flood control projects in 2022 to 2025 and another P9.67 billion for all its projects.
‘According to the Omnibus Election Code, candidates are prohibited from receiving donations from “natural and juridical persons who hold contracts or sub-contracts to supply the government or any of its divisions… with goods or services or to perform construction or other works.’
Jonathan Quirante is the nephew of Allan Quirante of QM Builders in the top 5 list of contractors that the President exposed in his 2024 SONA.
A check with the Commission on Election showed that Marcos declared in his statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) raising over P624 million in contributions primarily funded by prominent business executives, wealthy individuals, and his political party, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). PFP footed 40% of his campaign bill, totaling P247.2 million. She said the PFP was funded by tycoon Enrique Razon.
Based on his SOCE, the top individual donors were: Antonio Ernesto “Anton” Lagdameo, now Special Assistant to the President, with P247.324 million in-kind through the PFP; Melquiades Robles with P30 million in cash for which he was later appointed General Manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO); Philip G. Lo, now chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines with P25 million; Francis and Norman Wee brothers who own the W Group, each donated P20 million; Rodulfo Hilot Jr.: Owner of Zamboanga del Sur-based Rudhil Construction & Enterprises Inc. donated P20 million; Manjinder Kumar: Indian businessman and secretary general of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, with P20 million; Bryan Chan Lim, vice president for business development of Suyen Corp. (Bench), donated P20 million; Mitchell Vy Chua of Gateway Law Corp for P20 million; Chase Cokaliong, vice president for fleet operations of Cokaliong Shipping for P10 million.
Key corporate or business figures who chipped in included fishing magnate Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., now Agriculture Secretary and member of the Private Sector Advisory Council gave P30 million; Loym of Cebu associated with LuDo and LuYm gave P30 million; Edmund Gaisano of Gaisano Capital Group, P30 million, among others.
The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism earlier reported that at least six Marcos donors were appointed to government positions. Also, in 2025, reports emerged that some donors, such as Rodulfo Hilot Jr. and Jonathan M. Quirante (who donated P1 million), were contractors who had received a significant increase in public works contracts after the election, raising questions about potential violations of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits government contractors from donating to campaigns
CHIZ’S ELECTION DONATION
The Tiktok vlogger said that such donations/contributions are normal in an election cycle and that it made Chiz Escudero’s declaration of the P30 million donation he received as more transparent compared to others.
The major donor of Escudero, his kababayan– an active contractor in 2022– Lawrence Lubiano of Centerways Construction and Development Inc. gave P30 million from his personal funds for which he bagged 25 flood control projects worth P1.29 billion in 2022, the Star reported.
However, the records of Isumbong mo kay Pangulo– which was launched by the President in August 2025– showed that Lubiano’s Centerways was in the list of top 15 contractors that surprisingly bagged the most number of flood control projects since 2022 worth P5.1 billion, excluding two multi-year contractors. All of his projects are in Lubiano’s and Escudero’s hometown, Sorsogon.
In the congressional hearings, Lubiano’s reply to Rep. Chel Diokno’s question about family members holding government positions, confirmed he had two brothers, one serves as mayor of a town in Sorsogon, while the other serves as a city councilor.
According to the Omnibus Election Code, candidates are prohibited from receiving donations from “natural and juridical persons who hold contracts or sub-contracts to supply the government or any of its divisions… with goods or services or to perform construction or other works,” the Star said.
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