Jack Enrile was top campaign spender at P150.8M

Defeated senatorial candidate Juan “Jack” Ponce Enrile Jr., son of resigned Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, was the top spender in the 2013 senatorial race, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) records.

Enrile, who landed in 15th place, spent P150,797,910.18 on his failed campaign for a Senate seat and also received the biggest contribution from donors at P150,401,072.09, according to his statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE).

Senator-elect JV Ejercito, who ranked 11th in the 12-man Senate race, was the second-highest spender at P138,207,825.76. He spent P2,276,085.01 of his own money and received  P135,931,740.75 in contributions. Among his contributors were Iñigo U. Zobel, who gave P15 million.

Among those who used their personal funds, Senator-elect Cynthia Villar spent the most, shelling out P131,656,672.84 of her own money. Villar, who ranked 10th in the race, spent P133,979,127.25 and received only P2,616,454.41 in contributions.

No more than P156M

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said the senatorial candidates should not have spent more than P156 million each in the last campaign.

The other top spenders were Alan Peter Cayetano (P131,044,782.33), Nancy Binay (P128,695,057.10) and Bam Aquino (P124,327,987.81).

Grace Poe, who topped the Senate race, ranked 7th in expenditures with P123,448,994.86. She was followed by Juan Edgardo Angara (P120,136,752.86), Chiz Escudero (P100,723,309.10), Risa Hontiveros (P88,628,348.11), Loren Legarda (P83,034,205) and Koko Pimentel (P75,552,863.49).

Of the top 12 spenders, Enrile and Hontiveros, who spent P8,835.448.11 of her personal funds, did not win.

Among the Magic 12, Senator-elect Gregorio Honasan, who landed in the 12th spot, spent the least at P24,111,848.96, of which P1,009,707.92 came from his own pocket.

Senator-elect Antonio Trillanes IV, who secured the 9th slot, spent P30,135,014.77.

Comelec law department Director Esmeralda Ladra said they had received the SOCEs of all the senatorial candidates except for Ang Kapatiran’s Marwil Llasos.

Ladra said those who still had unspent contributions should also report these to the Comelec since this is taxable.

“The candidates still have to report the unexpended balance (because that) is subject to income tax. They should also report that and there shall be an official receipt,” Ladra said.

“While contributions are not taxable, any unexpended balance is taxable unless they give it back (to the contributor),” she added.