Malacañang said President Rodrigo R. Duterte is ready to solicit funds from the private sector to finance the campaign of candidates of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) come the 2022 national and local elections.
In an online press briefing last Monday, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified Duterte has no intention of using government funds for his commitment to PDP-Laban members.
“He knows it’s illegal to use public funds for partisan purposes. But there is no prohibition in the Omnibus Election Code to raise funds from private individuals for the candidacies of individuals, so that is what the President meant,” Roque said.
Duterte met with members of the PDP-Laban last Saturday in Pampanga for the election of the party’s new set of officials.
During the event, Duterte said he will personally go to cities and province to campaign and also bring “sacks of cash” for PDP-Laban candidates.
“It’s an assurance to his party mates that not only will he physically campaign for them, he will also raise funds for them; and that’s not prohibited by the Constitution or the Omnibus election code. Unfortunately, democracy can be very expensive,” Roque said.
Pacquiao camp reminds Duterte vs vote-buying
The camp of Senator Manny Pacquiao cautioned President Duterte on Monday against his announced plan to bring “sacks of money” on the campaign trail of administration candidates, citing possible violation of the law penalizing vote-buying.
Sen. Pacquiao’s spokesman, Ron Munsayac, reminded that distributing money in the campaign is blatant violation of the law that could disqualify their candidates in the upcoming 2022 elections.
He affirmed it is not the style of PDP Laban, founded by the late Aquilino Pimentel Jr., adding that they have no bulging campaign kitty that can be distributed to voters as there are “no oligarchs” supporting the PDP campaign.
The party spokesman recalled that at a gathering of PDP stalwarts Saturday, President Duterte pledged he would campaign for the party’s candidates in cities and provinces.
Image courtesy of Ace Morandante/Malacanang Presidential Photographers Division via AP