VP Sara Duterte’s campaign donor has deep ties to Flood Control Contracts, investigations suggest

Vice President Sara Duterte received a campaign donation from a top contractor of flood control projects in the Davao Region, according to a Rappler special report.

Based on Duterte’s Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), Escandor Development Corporation—owned by the Dutertes’ longtime friend Glenn Escandor—donated P19.923 million for her ads during the 2022 elections.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) earlier reported that Genesis88 Construction’s Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) contracts increased significantly during the Rodrigo Duterte administration.

Rappler reported that the company bagged almost P7 billion worth of contracts from the DPWH between 2018 and 2024.

Between 2023 and 2024 alone, Genesis88 Construction secured around ₱2.9 billion worth of government contracts.

The firm cornered a total of 35 projects in the Davao Region during that span. In comparison, most of the other construction firms bagged only around one to five projects each.

The Vice President’s brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, reportedly bagged P51 billion in flood control fund during the last three years of his father’s administration.

When asked about this, the lawmaker diverted the issue and questioned why government agencies appear to be focusing their probes on his district while supposedly turning a blind eye to bigger irregularities elsewhere.