Noynoy contributors include possible Cabinet member

(Update 2 - 9:18 p.m.) President-elect Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III received campaign funds from family members and several successful businessmen, including a former member of the country's economic team who may be reappointed to the Cabinet, and a former chairman of the Philippines’ largest and leading telecommunications company. As earlier reported by GMANews.TV, Aquino claimed to have received a total of P440,050,000, of which P403,119,981.81 was spent during the whole campaign period, records from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed. While Aquino's expenditures are well within limits set by the poll body, his statement showed that he received P37 million more than what he spent. The balance was "fully accounted for," Aquino's spokesman Edwin Lacierda told reporters in an interview outside Aquino's home on Times Street. Some P19 million was used to pay withholding tax, Lacierda said, adding that they have documents to prove this. The remaining amount was used for the printing of sample ballots, allowances for poll watchers across the country, and payment for legal fees. "These three are not required under the law to be reported because these are expenses made after May 8," said Lacierda, a lawyer. "I conferred with the one who made the campaign report kung may pera po, wala na pong natira sa pera, sa campaign contributions. Lahat po yun ay fully accounted for," Lacierda added. (The contributions were all spent and all of these are fully accounted for.) Family members contribute P143 million to Aquino’s campaign kitty Of Aquino’s total campaign expenditures, about P143 million was shouldered by his family members and friends. Aquino’s biggest contributor was his second cousin, Antonio "Tonyboy" Cojuangco, former chairman of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT), who gave him P100 million. His sister Kristina Bernadette Yap (Kris Aquino) and high school friend Gerardo Esquivel also reportedly contributed P15 and P10 million respectively, to his campaign. He likewise received P5 million each from another sister, Aurora Corazon "Pinky" Abellada, cousin Josephine Guingona, and family doctor Alexander Ayco. He also admitted to have received P3 million from his sister Ma. Elena "Ballsy" Cruz. Former Far Eastern University president Josephine Reyes, his aunt, contributed P5 million to his campaign kitty. Businessmen shoulder P179M of Aquino’s poll expenses Meanwhile, at least P179 million of Aquino’s campaign expenses were shouldered by prominent businessmen. Comelec documents also indicate that Ozamis City businessman Bu Hong Chiong, former Environment secretary Fulgencio Factoran Jr., and Pancake House, Inc. chairman Martin Lorenzo, reportedly gave him P20 million each. Besides managing a chain of restaurants bearing its name, publicly-listed Pancake House Inc. also runs various outlets of Dencio’s Bar and Grill, Teriyaki Boy, and Le Coeur de France, among others. Aquino also reportedly received P14 million from Andok's Litson president Leonardo Javier Jr. He likewise admitted to having received P10 million each from construction tycoon Jose Ramon Aliling, former DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and Finance secretary Cesar Purisima, Global Jobsearch Team chairman Alex Tanwangco, Philsteel Group of Companies chairman Abeto Uy, CATS Motors president Felix Ang, Solid Group of Companies chairman Elena Lim, and president David Lim. Purisima is a member of the so-called Hyatt 10, a group of Cabinet members and senior officials who quit and called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to do the same in July 2005. Publicly-listed Solid Group Inc. has 13 subsidiaries engaged in various businesses including real-estate, sale of broadcast equipment, and the operation of repair and service centers of audio and video consumer electronics equipment. In addition, he was also supposedly given P5 million each by Directories Philippines Corporation president Ricardo Bautista, Association of Philippine Leathergoods Exporter and Manufacturing George Barcelon, former Philippine Institute of Quezon City chairman Mariano Chua, De La Salle Graduate School of Business Dean Philip Juico, and Hinatuan Mining Corp. chairman Salvador Zamora II. Juico is the former Agrarian Reform secretary of late president Corazon Aquino, his mother while Zamora is the brother of politician Ronaldo Zamora. Pascual Laboratories chairman Abraham Pascual and his wife Sylvia gave Aquino P2 million each while TriDharma president Rene Dela Calzada and Xenecal guru Joe Marie Lesaca Sy reportedly contributed P250,000 each to his campaign. No rules on contributors The poll body has no rules regarding sources of campaign funds, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said. However, he said that it is up to the candidate whether he will let the contribution affect his future decisions as a government official. "If the candidate becomes beholden (then) it becomes a moral issue for the candidate," he told reporters in an interview on Wednesday.

Candidates are only required to submit their campaign expenditure reports, he added. The reports are not audited. Under Comelec Resolution 8944, the financial statement must indicate the amount of contribution, the date of its receipt, and the full name and address of the person who gave the contribution. It should also state the amount of every expenditure, the date it was incurred, the full name and address of the person who paid for it, and the purpose of the expenditure. It should likewise indicate if there is an "unpaid obligation" to any person. The Comelec extended the deadline of the submission of contributions and expenditures until June 24. The resolution says that failure to file the statement will constitute an administrative offense which is punishable by a fine ranging from P1,000 to P30,000 at the discretion of the Comelec. Violation of the spending limit is also an election offense, which is punishable by disenfranchisement, disqualification from holding public office, and imprisonment from one to six years. Comelec Resolution 8944 says that candidates for president and vice president with political parties are only allowed to spend P10 per registered voter while other candidates also with parties may spend P3 per voter. On the other hand, candidates without the support of political parties may spend P5 for every voter. There are about 50.7 million registered voters. - with Jam L. Sisante/RJAB Jr., RSJ, KBK, GMANews.TV