MANILA – A fierce backlash has erupted against Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Erwin Garcia, with a coalition of civic watchdogs accusing him of a glaring conflict of interest in the poll body’s controversial ruling that absolved Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero of any wrongdoing in accepting a P30 million campaign donation from a government contractor’s head. The decision, handed down last Wednesday, has ignited cries of favoritism, spotlighting Garcia’s past role as Escudero’s lawyer in the 2022 elections and his wife’s rapid rise under the senator’s Senate presidency.
The uproar stems from a November 26 resolution by Comelec’s Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD), which recommended closing the motu proprio inquiry into Escudero’s funds from Lawrence Lubiano, president of Centerways Construction and Development Inc. Despite Section 95(c) of the Omnibus Election Code barring contributions from those with government contracts, the panel ruled Lubiano’s personal donation was separate from his company’s dealings. Critics, however, see it as a loophole-riddled whitewash that could greenlight future skirting of the law.
Leading the charge is a citizens’ group headed by Jocelyn Marie Acosta, who filed a formal complaint on November 14 demanding Escudero’s probe. In a scathing statement, they dismantled the perceived biases layering Garcia’s involvement. “After all, wasn’t [Garcia] Escudero’s lawyer for the 2022 election? Didn’t his wife, the current deputy secretary for legislation of the Senate, rise to that position under then-Senate President Escudero?” the group queried, questioning the depth of Garcia’s self-inhibition. “Garcia inhibited himself, sure, but what subordinates in their right minds would act against their boss? Please don’t insult our intelligence by establishing obvious loopholes so that you retain your ability to serve political gods. We have been injured enough by the corruption their impunity via your inaction enables.”
Escudero, now Sorsogon governor-elect and a frontrunner for Senate president, has framed Lubiano as a “personal friend” whose gift was above board. Lubiano echoed this in his defense, insisting he is “distinct and separate” from Centerways, a firm that has pocketed over P5.4 billion in 85 flood control contracts from 2022 to 2025, mostly in Escudero’s bailiwick. The senator’s camp has yet to respond to the latest salvos, but the timing stings: The ruling drops amid House probes into the P20-billion flood fiasco, where Centerways ranks among the top 15 contractors cornering Marcos-era projects.
For Acosta’s coalition, the stakes are existential. “This ruling sets a dangerous precedent where candidates could accept donations from individuals with ties to a government contractor rather than the contractor itself to circumvent Section 95,” they warned, urging Comelec to revisit and reverse. The Inquirer reached out to Escudero and Garcia for comment but received no reply as of posting.
As the archipelago grapples with graft’s long shadow – from pork scandals to phantom builds – this Comelec crossroads feels like a litmus test for electoral integrity. Will Garcia’s ties tip the scales, or will public pressure force a recount? In a season of reflection, the verdict hangs heavier than any ballot.