BILANG PILIPINO | Moreno stands by legality of keeping P50M excess campaign funds in 2016

February 4, 2022 , 03:45 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(February 4, 2022) – Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Friday stood by his decision to keep P50 million worth of excess campaign funds when he ran for senator in 2016 since he paid the corresponding taxes, but he also recognized the need for concrete regulations surrounding the issue.

Moreno, the presidential candidate of Aksyon Demokratiko in the 2022 elections, said he consulted with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to explore what he can do with his remaining campaigns funds following his failed senatorial bid.

“Baka unique nga siguro sa pangingin ninyo dahil wala pa yatang kandidato na nagpubliko na nagdeklara ng kanyang sobra at nagbayad ng buwis. Basta ginawa ko ‘yun bilang isang masunuring mamamayan ayon sa alituntunin ng batas,” said Moreno on the forum of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas with its member-organizations, including News 5.

Moreno reportedly got P50.8 million out of the P171 million he raised, according to his Statement of Contribution and Expenditures cited by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. He reportedly paid around P9.7 million to the BIR.

Moreno has been criticized for this decision since other countries, including the United States, prohibit the use of surplus campaign funds for the personal expenses of candidates. The Philippines, however, has no law that clearly defines what candidates can do when they have a large sum of money left.

In 2014, then-vice mayor Moreno faced a plunder charge for allegedly pocketing P77 million in real property taxes. It was eventually dismissed.

Moreno’s net worth is around P70 million as of last year.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) affirmed that there was nothing wrong with Moreno’s action as long as he settled the taxes that came along with it.

“There are no rules requiring its disposition in any specific way. This means there is no rule saying you have to return them to individual donors or use them for some charitable purposes,” said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez last week.

Even President Rodrigo Duterte earned roughly P3.5 million after his campaign in 2016. Like Moreno, the tough-talking leader said he paid his income taxes to the BIR to settle the excess funds.

Danilo Arao, convenor of election watchdog Kontra Daya, noted that some candidates and political parties may only be using the elections as a “money-making activity.”

“Sometimes, based on anecdotal evidence, there are cases of candidates who are not really so serious about pursuing their candidacies and they are just soliciting donations,” said Arao on One News’ Agenda last January 26.

Moreno reiterated that it would be much better if the country has a law on how to handle excess campaign funds and be more stringent on the payment of taxes.

“Dapat magtatag tayo ng alituntunin na magiging gabay ng lahat ng magiging kandidato,” said Moreno. “Kung ang tao, hinihikayat natin na lahat magbayad ng buwis, dapat tayo ring malalaki, maliliit, middle class, lahat pantay-pantay. ‘Yun ang importante. Magbabayad ng buwis.”

(PM)

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