A key Comelec department stepped into the ring on Wednesday with a ruling that effectively shields Sen. Chiz Escudero and construction executive Lawrence Lubiano from allegations of illegal campaign financing. After months of scrutiny over a ₱30-million donation tied to a contractor with billions in government projects, the Political Finance and Affairs Department concluded there was “no evidence” of any election offense — marking a significant win for both men.
Investigators acknowledged the donation was real and substantial: Lubiano himself admitted to contributing ₱30 million to Escudero’s 2022 Senate run, becoming his biggest campaign backer. But the department sided with their central defense — that the donation came from Lubiano as an individual, not as president of Centerways Construction, the contractor behind over 80 flood-control projects from 2022 to 2024. Without concrete proof that he acted as a corporate front or conduit, Comelec said it could not legally extend the donation ban meant for companies holding government contracts. “Mr. Lubiano is not Centerways, and Centerways is not Mr. Lubiano,” the resolution read.
The ruling doesn’t erase surrounding concerns — especially after President Marcos revealed that 15 contractors cornered ₱100 billion in flood projects, with Centerways among those flagged. But for now, Comelec says the evidence doesn’t tie Escudero to any deliberate circumvention of election law. The department has moved to terminate the investigation, leaving higher-level review or new evidence as the only avenues for further action. For Escudero and Lubiano, it’s a clean round — and a momentary breather as broader flood-control probes continue to grind forward.
Image from Chiz Escudero FB