During the inauguration of Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday, June 22, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte was in attendance. Of course, a speech was expected of the incoming president when he made a surprising declaration about his running his campaign for the 2016 elections.
GMA News Online reported that Duterte said he managed a shoestring budget to run his campaign.
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During his speech, Duterte talked about how he was ready to retire from politics and his journey towards the presidency, despite not having that many support from politicians from other towns outside of Davao City. But as the number of supporters grew, he reconsidered the idea of running for the presidency, despite getting only local funding.
Watch this video below of Duterte’s speech during Pacquiao’s inauguration as senator and you’ll hear his assurance about not having mining contributors at 4:09.
“And I assure you that I never really accepted money from any mining company. Iyan masiguro ninyo maski tanungin ninyo,” Duterte said.
But if you look at reports about Duterte’s statement of contributors and expenditures (SOCE), one of his contributors was Michael Regino. He is the president of Agata Mining Ventures and San Agustin Mining Services. He contributed P14 million to Duterte’s campaign fund.
Another controversial name among Duterte’s contributors is that of Dennis Uy.
In February, Duterte accused then-presidential candidate Mar Roxas for allegedly protecting San Roque Metals Inc., a nickel mining company in Mindanao, because he was using their airplane.
Erice hit back, naming Uy, a mining executive, as one of Duterte’s contributors.
Duterte’s spokesperson Peter Tiu Laviña denied Uy as a contributor, although Duterte’s SOCE revealed that Uy did donate P30 million to his campaign.
Uy is a co-founder of Davao-based oil company Phoenix Petroleum. His Bloomberg profile also revealed that Uy has been serving as an Independent Director of Apex Mining Co. Inc. since March 2013. He also serves as a Director of two other mining companies – Bulbscor Minerals Corporation and Blucor Minerals Corporation.
Duterte previously said in January that he would not accept money from people with vested interests.
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“I will not accept money and contributions from people and groups who have transactions with the government because I will have to pay them back with favors when I become President,” Duterte told campaign leaders and supporters during a gathering.
However, his SOCE revealed contributions from Davao- and Manila-based businessmen.
Duterte’s P375 million campaign fund included contributions from the following:
- P75 million from Davao del Norte 2nd District Representative-elect Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr., son of the late ‘banana king’ Antonio Sr.
- P30 million from the earlier mentioned Dennis Uy
- P30 million from Samuel Uy of Davao farms and Davao Import Distributors, Inc.
- P30 million from Lorenzo Te, general manager of Honda Cars Davao
- P20 million from Bienvenido Tan
- P16 million from Nicasio Alcantara, former CEO of Petron Corporation
- 5 million from Marcelino Mendoza, Vista Land director and former president of Camella Homes
- P14 million from the earlier mentioned Michael Regino
- P12 million from Tomas Alcantara, CEO and president of Alsons Consolidated Resources (involved in real estate, electricity, and trading and distributions)
- P10 million from Felix Ang, president of CAT Motors
Other contributors also included Domingo Tao Uy from Davao City and Patricia Escalar from Makati City, who donated P5 million each; Efren Uy from Las Piñas, who donated P3.5 million; Jauario Ramos from Makati, who donated P3 million; and Davao City-based contributors Dorelaine Bosquit, John Joseph Bosquit, and Debbie Rodolfo, who gave P2 million each.
There were other contributors who gave a thousand to a few hundred thousand.
Contributions in kind mostly came from Duterte’s running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, in the form of tandem ads, as well as former MMDA chief Francis Tolentino.
So, unlike what Duterte claimed during his speech at Pacquiao’s inauguration, he did accept contribution from people associated with mining companies – Michael Regino and Dennis Uy. He did say we can ask about it and we did, but all that we needed to do was look at his SOCE.
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