Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte claimed that he has nothing to do with his pre-campaign ads that reportedly amounted to P146,351,131.
According to GMA News' 24 Oras report yesterday, March 10, Mayor Duterte maintained that an anonymous Chinese donor paid for his pre-campaign ads.
He also reiterated that the supposed anonymous donor invoked the right to remain confidential.
Mayor Duterte said, “May nagbayad 'yan, Chinese, hindi ko kilala, yung initial ads ba.
“Ayaw naman sabihin.
“So, wag mo ikuwenta sa akin 'yan.”
This is in connection with Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism's (PCIJ) report that the pre-campaign ads of high-profile candidates in the 2016 elections actually reached P6.7 billion.
Veteran journalist Malou Mangahas also raised issues about “indirect bribery, tax evasion, and impunity” involved with such huge expenditures of concerned electoral candidates.
Read: Binay, Poe, Roxas, Duterte challenged to name donors of billion-peso pre-campaign ads
Mayor Duterte, for his part, maintained that he doesn't ask for donations especially from corporations which are involved with government transactions.
He explained, “I cannot bring myself to ask for money.
“You heard that I'm sure. Sabi ko yung offer nila tinanggihan ko.
“Alam ng publiko 'yan. I made that pronouncment.
“I will not accept donations from people or corporations or company that are doing business with government or may transaksyon sa gobyerno.”
Asked if he spends his own money for his electoral campaign, Mayor Duterte cursed in his usual fashion, “"Pera ko mismo? "T*** i**"
“Iyong pang-retire ko, gagastusin ko sana, saan ako kukuha ng pang-hospital?”
According to his 2014 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), Mayor Duterte's net worth is P21.97 million.
Nevertheless, Mayor Duterte said that he's willing to cooperate with authorities should there be an investigation on electoral candidates' campaign expenditures.
"Kasi sabi nila gumastos ako ng P100 million, kalokohan iyon.
“Hindi ko nga alam kung sino ang nagbayad noon."
Of the five presidential candidates, Mayor Duterte reportedly has the lowest pre-campaign expenditures.