Comelec summons Escudero, Marcoleta campaign donors

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued subpoenas to the campaign contributors of Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Rodante Marcoleta, according to Chairperson George Erwin Garcia.

“Kaya kinakailangan mag-conduct ng preliminary investigation, kinakailangan naman din pasagutin natin 'yung mga contributors at donors dahil hindi pa sila nakakasagot,” Garcia said on Super Radyo dzBB.

(That is why it is necessary to conduct a preliminary investigation, and we also need to require the contributors and donors to answer because they have yet to respond.)

According to Garcia, contributors who failed to disclose their donations may be held liable under the Omnibus Election Code.

“'Yung mga donors or contributors na hindi nag-report ng kanilang donasyon o kontribusyon 30 araw matapos ang halalan ay mananagot din sa ating Omnibus Election Code at ito po ay kasong election offense na may kulong na isa hanggang anim na taon,” he said.

(Donors or contributors who fail to report their donations or contributions within 30 days after the election may also be held liable under the Omnibus Election Code. This election offense carries a penalty of one to six years' imprisonment.)

Garcia said the Omnibus Election Code originally penalized the non-disclosure of campaign contributors or donors, but this provision was later modified by Republic Act No. 7166.

According to Garcia, the law decriminalized the non-disclosure of donors by candidates and instead imposed a fine. However, he said no similar amendment was made with respect to donors and contributors.

“Kaya po ang nangyari noon, ang rekomendasyon ng opisina namin ay i-dismiss ang kaso sa kandidato pero tuloy ang kaso sa mga donors or contributors,” he said.

(That is why our office previously recommended dismissing the case against the candidate while pursuing the case against the donors or contributors.)

Previously, Comelec ordered the dismissal of a complaint against Marcoleta after finding insufficient evidence that he committed an election offense in connection with the alleged non-disclosure of donors in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) for the May 2025 elections.

Comelec also cleared Escudero and a contractor in connection with the P30 million in campaign donations the senator received during his 2022 senatorial bid. The ruling has since been challenged before the Supreme Court.

Escudero is also facing a fresh investigation before the Comelec after a vlogger filed another complaint related to campaign donations.—MCG, GMA News