Sen. Chiz Escudero and contractor, acquitted by COMELEC department regarding P30M campaign donation

• PFAD clears Senator Chiz Escudero and Lawrence Lubiano of any election law violation

• Inquiry ends after finding no proof that Lubiano and Centerways acted as one entity

• P30-million campaign donation came from Lubiano’s personal funds, not from his company

• Escudero says ruling strengthens his trust in fair and transparent elections

The Political Finance and Affairs Department of the Commission on Elections cleared Senator Francis Chiz Escudero and contractor Lawrence Lubiano of any violation linked to the P30-million campaign donation for Escudero’s 2022 Senate run.

A nine-page resolution recommended ending the probe after confirming that Lubiano and Centerways Construction and Development Inc. are separate legal entities.

PFAD said Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code does not apply because the donation came from Lubiano’s own money.

That section bans contractors supplying goods or services to government from giving political donations.

PFAD explained that Lubiano’s role as Centerways president is not enough to ignore the company’s separate personality since there is no sign of fraud, bad faith, or any move to escape legal duties.

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Records also show no proof that Centerways funded the contribution. PFAD added that mere claims cannot erase legal boundaries between Lubiano and his company.

Escudero welcomed the ruling and said it strengthened his trust in the institution. He also said he has always followed election rules since he first ran in 1998.

The senator added that the Comelec decision supports his belief that truth and transparency win when the process is fair.

Lubiano earlier admitted giving the P30 million but insisted it was his own money.

Escudero confirmed in August that Lubiano is his friend and campaign donor but denied giving him any favor in business.

Read the article of GMA Network's 'BalitamBayan' here to know more about this story.

Chiz Escudero is a prominent Filipino lawyer and politician. He first rose to national prominence as a congressman representing Sorsogon, earning a reputation as a sharp debater and a principled lawmaker. Later, he served as a senator, where he became known for his work on legislation related to justice, human rights, and good governance. Beyond his professional career, Chiz is also widely recognized in the public eye due to his high-profile marriage to actress and fashion icon Heart Evangelista. He and the actress tied the knot in a dreamy and grand ceremony in Balesin.

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In a previous report by KAMI, Sen. Chiz Escudero gave followers a glimpse of his personal life with a video of him cooking Kare-Kare with his daughter, Chesi. The video highlighted their father-daughter bonding in the kitchen, with Chiz assisting Chesi in preparing the dish. The post quickly drew positive reactions from followers and public figures, including his wife, Heart Evangelista. Many praised the senator for highlighting family bonding and Filipino culinary traditions.

In another report, Heart Evangelista opened up about her painful journey to motherhood, revealing that she underwent two surrogacy attempts after experiencing multiple mìscarrìages. She shared that only two of her harvested eggs were viable, but both pregnancies ended in loss, including one that lasted four months. Despite the heartbreak, she continues to move forward by focusing on her career and caring for her husband Chiz Escudero’s twins, Joaquin and Cecilia, whom she considers her own. Heart has previously spoken about her struggles, including a mìscarrìages in 2018 and the difficulties she faced during IVF treatments in 2022.

Source: KAMI.com.gh