Comelec: No idea on background of campaign contributors

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday that it does not look into the background of campaign contributors of candidates when it screens their Statements of Contributors and Expenditures (SOCE), following reports that relatives of controversial businessman Antonio Tiu contributed to Vice President Jejomar Binay’s campaign.

“It’s beyond our jurisdiction to look into the background of a contributor. Our concern is if a candidate has exceeded the limits in campaign expenditures,” said Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle in an interview.

He also said the Comelec does not check where contributors sourced their donations.

Tagle was reacting to reports that Tiu’s brother James and the latter’s wife Anne Lorraine Buencamino contributed P7.5 million each to Binay’s campaign in the 2010 elections.

Tiu, chief executive officer of Greenergy Holdings Inc., has been accused of being Binay’s dummy. It was alleged that a 350-hectare property in Rosario, Batangas was actually owned by Binay, not the company.

Binay’s SOCE showed that in March 14, 2010, James Tiu and Buencamino donated P5 million each. Another donation of P2.5 million each was made by the couple in March 18, 2010.

Binay declared total contributions of P231,480,000 and expenditures of P217,938,289.