No contributions from mining companies, says Duterte

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said that he did not receive donations from mining companies and business bigwigs during his campaign.

Speaking during the inauguration of Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao in Sarangani, Duterte said that he ran his campaign on a shoestring budget.

“And I assure you that I never really accepted money from any mining company. Iyan masiguro ninyo maski tanungin ninyo,” he said.

However, his statements of contributions and expenditures showed Michael Regino, president of Agata Mining Ventures and San Agustin Mining Services, Inc. donated P14 million to his campaign fund.

According to Duterte’s SOCE, he received a total of P375 million from contributions including P75 million from Davao del Norte 2nd District Representative-elect Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr.

Other Davao-based businessmen contributed P30 million each: Dennis Uy, founder of Davao-based oil company Phoenix Petroleum; Samuel Uy of Davao farms and Davao Import Distributors, Inc.; and Lorenzo Te, general manager of Honda Cars Davao.

Another P86.5 million in cash contributions came from six other men residing in Metro Manila, most of them businessmen.

In a speech before businessmen in Davao City on Tuesday, Duterte warned mining companies to follow international standards if they don’t want to face sanctions.