Change has started DUTERTE CAMP RETURNS EXCESS CAMPAIGN FUNDS

By Manny Piñol

Change is coming? That’s passe’.

Change has actually started.

In an act unprecedented in the history of Philippine politics, a group which helped raise funds for the candidacy of President-elect Rody Duterte has started returning to contributors money which was not used during the campaign.

The group Anonymous Patriots headed by businessman Benigno Gopez has issued checks to be given back to the donors.

“We have to return the excess money. We have to show to the people that everything will be different under the Duterte Presidency,” Gopez told me a few days ago.

Yesterday, businessman Marion Raagas who acts as the treasurer of the group posted in his Facebook page photos of the checks ready for his signature to be sent back to the donors.

This is the first time in the history of Philippine politics that excess funds were return to contributors.

Most politicians keep the money to themselves after the campaign.

In fact, recently Vice President Jejomar Binay publicly declared that some of the money found in his bank accounts were excess contributions during the elections of 2010.

Duterte, in the last campaign, instructed his fund raisers to be careful and selective in receiving contributions.

He stressed that he will not receive money from groups and individuals who have interests in government or those who have contracts with government.

Duterte is also known to refuse contributions from Davao City during the elections when he ran unopposed.

Recently, he also refused a huge contribution from a telecommunications company saying that it could affect his move to hold them accountable for the very poor telephone and internet services in the country.

(Photos show checks to be return to contributors and President-elect Duterte with Marion Raagas, treasurer of Anonymous Patriots.)