Losing partylist, House bet got campaign funds from Luy, Napoles – Comelec

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — A losing partylist group received campaign contributions in 2007 from Benhur Luy, the whistleblower of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Citing Comelec’s ongoing review of the Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs) of candidates in the 2007 and 2010 polls, Comelec chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. said on Wednesday, that Luy donated P200,000 to Ang Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal sa Ikauunlad ng Lokal na Ekonomiya (A-SMILE) party list.

Asked if they also found the name of Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged brains behind the pork barrel scam, among the campaign fund contributors, Brillantes said a certain “Mr. and Mrs. Napoles” donated, also in 2007, P30,000 to a losing congressional candidate in Pasig City, whom he refused to name.

“They are not elected officials, they are not even popular,” he said.

In its audit, the Comelec has so far not yet come across any campaign donations from Napoles for lawmakers, presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2010 elections, Brillantes said.

“We have not found anything, although the review is still ongoing,” he added.

The Comelec earlier initiated a review of its records to find out if Napoles had contributed to politicians’ campaign funds.