Duterte says SMC’s Ang supported his campaign with fund for some travels

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday night disclosed that some of his trips during the campaign period were financed by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang, whose name does not appear in his official list of donors submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Mr. Duterte made the statement in his speech during the Christmas party of the Office of the President in Malacañang, which was attended by Mr. Ang.

“You know very well that nobody really campaigned for me, or at least some… a few people who believed in me. Ramon Ang gave me some money. Hindi malaki but hindi rin maliit (Not that much but not that small either). But enough to finance one trip there, one trip here. You can ask all of them kung naghingi ako or tumanggap ako (if I asked or accepted money),” Mr. Duterte said.

The Philippine leader, a former long- time city mayor who won the country’s top post in the May elections, also said he and Mr. Ang “became fast friends” because of the tycoon’s “disarming attitude of humility.”

“I would be happy if you would share, break bread with me during our Christmas (party),” Mr. Duterte told Mr. Ang, who was smiling while listening to the chief executive’s impromptu remarks.

Sought for comment, Mr. Ang did not acknowledge the campaign-related contribution.

He told BusinessWorld in a mobile phone reply that he only gave P2 billion to the Duterte administration to fund the construction of “drug rehabilitation and housing for landless and poorest.”

Mr. Ang is in the Forbes Philippines’ 50 Richest List, ranking 16th with a net worth of $1.21 billion.

A report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) dated Dec. 5 cited Mr. Duterte’s Statement of Contributions and Expenditures submitted to the Comelec indicating that 13 donors, mainly composed of big businessmen, raised P375 million to bankroll his campaign.

“Just six months after the elections, Duterte has appointed at least half a dozen of his donors and their relatives to Cabinet and other positions, even as one campaign contributor has already snared government contracts and flaunted on social media his claimed closeness to the President,” the PCIJ report read in part.

“Section 95 of the Omnibus Election Code prohibits ‘natural and juridical persons’ who have business interests in utilities, mining, and the like from making election contributions,” the report added.

SMC, where Mr. Ang is the major stakeholder, has interests in beverage, food and packaging; fuel and oil; energy; and infrastructure.