Presidential aspirants Jejomar Binay, Grace Poe, Mar Roxas, and Rodrigo Duterte remain mum about the source of funds used in their respective pre-campaign ads, that cost between P100 million up to P1 billion.
This is in relation to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism’s (PCIJ) report that top bets for the 2016 elections have spent up to P6.7 billion in pre-campaign ads.
Read: Binay, Poe, Roxas, Duterte challenged to name billion-peso pre-campaign ads
PCIJ’s veteran journalist Malou Mangahas noted, “Not one of the three candidates who belong to the Billon-Peso Club of ad spenders -- presidentiables Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay, Grace Poe, and Manuel 'Mar' Roxas II -- talked about their secret donors' identities.”
Mangahas sought an explanation from all four presidential candidates about key factors surrounding the massive volume of their pre-campaign ads.
The candidates were asked via mail if they spent their own money or if the funds for their pre-campaign ads came from donors.
The candidates were also informed of their donors’ duty to remit 30 percent tax from their cash donations, as mandated by the National Internal Revenue Code.
The candidates were also informed of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019) that prohibits elective and appointive public officials from "accepting directly or indirectly a gift from a person other than a member of the public officer's immediate family, in behalf of himself or of any member of his family or relative within the fourth civil degree, either by consanguinity or affinity, even on the occasion of a family celebration or national festivity like Christmas, if the value of the gift is under the circumstances manifestly excessive.”
SECRETIVE ABOUT THEIR FUNDS, DONORS? Of the four presidential candidates cited in the report, only Binay’s camp replied to Mangahas’s queries.
Navotas Representative Tobias “Toby” Tiangco’s verbatim reply to Mangahas reads: "Hi, Malou. I cannot confirm or deny the figures because the records are not with me.
“With over P53 Million voters, TV advertisement is the fastest way for a candidate to get his/her message across.
“You can be rest assured that this is done in a manner that is in accordance with all existing laws. BR, Toby."
It is important to note, however, that Binay’s camp did not mention anything about the source of funds for his pre-campaign ads.
In the case of Poe, her senior staff Judith Sto. Domingo sent an acknowledgement receipt but did not respond to the queries about the source of her pre-campaign funds.
In the case of Duterte, his chief of staff Bong Go sent an acknowledgment receipt but did not respond to the queries as well.
Former Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Roxas, on the other hand, did not reply at all.
Roxas’s silence in this issue was also deemed to be in stark contrast with Liberal Party’s vow to continue “Daang Matuwid.”
The PCIJ report further noted, “So who paid for the billions they had all together spent on pre-campaign ads?
“To these candidates, the answer to that seems to be something they would not grant voters the right to know.”
Last Friday, March 11, Duterte categorically denied that he spent more than P100 million in his pre-campaign ads.
He also claimed that his pre-campaign ads were partially paid by an anonymous Chinese donor.