Catch those syokoys

Pork manipulators or flood syokoys (underwater humanoids) in the Senate who have enriched themselves on lucrative contracts awarded to their contractor cronies are the likely targets of the Commission on Elections investigation into possible violations of the Omnibus Election Code during the 2022 elections.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia, in an interview on a late-night television program, said at least three nationally elected officials, who would be senators, are the subjects of an investigation into the possible violation of Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code.

While not mentioning names, Garcia broadly hinted at the identities of the senators, saying the poll body’s investigation will be based on “certain admissions” and records of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

A check into the Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SoCEs) of the legislators can be done motu proprio, or on its own initiative, by the Comelec.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently revealed that 15 firms with interlocking ownerships, and a handful of Congress members as likely associates, had cornered P100-billion worth of flood control projects since 2022.

The recent turn of events turned the spotlight on Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Senator Joel Villanueva for the questionable donations they received during the 2022 elections from individuals and entities with active government contracts.

Under Section 95(c) of the Omnibus Election Code, natural or juridical persons holding government contracts or subcontracts are prohibited from making donations for partisan political activities.

Escudero has admitted receiving a personal donation of P30 million from Lawrence R. Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc., for his 2022 senatorial run, representing about 20 percent of his declared P146.5-million campaign kitty.

Centerways secured P5.16 billion in flood control contracts from 2021 to 2024, with many projects concentrated in Sorsogon, Escudero’s home province.

Escudero’s SoCE also listed Josue Gocella Tesado and Jessimar Catatista Panisales, linked to Maxan Construction & Trucking Services Inc., with each donating P10 million to Escudero. Maxan bagged P819 million in government contracts during the same period.

The Omnibus Election Code explicitly prohibits donations from entities with active government contracts. Still, elected officials exploit a legal loophole that allows donations made by individuals rather than corporations, as long as they are correctly reported, as the law treats corporations and their stockholders as separate legal entities.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal noted that individual donations are allowed but must be disclosed in the SoCE.

Escudero’s defense was that he had a long acquaintance with Lubiano, as they both hail from Sorsogon. He denied any involvement in securing contracts for Centerways, which was one of the 15 firms President Marcos flagged.

He then employed the usual excuse of officials caught in a problematic position, branding the allegations as politically motivated “demolition jobs” tied to his Senate presidency and the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Villanueva, meanwhile, received P20 million from New San Jose Builders Inc. (NSJBI), the largest single corporate donation to a senatorial candidate in 2022.

NSJBI was awarded a P2.147-billion contract to build a 19-story National Housing Authority office in Quezon City from 2021 to 2025.

He, however, denied any links to the 15 contractors named by President Marcos, yet the worst pilferage of the flood control funds happened in Bulacan, Villanueva’s turf.

Ending the scourge of corruption will have to start with breaking the veneer of clean hands, and those responsible must be made to suffer the consequences of their indiscretion.