Escudero, Marcoleta Campaign Donors Summoned

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued subpoenas to individuals identified as campaign contributors of Sens. Francis Escudero and Rodante Marcoleta as part of its continuing probe into alleged non-disclosure of campaign donations.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia confirmed this on Wednesday, June 3, saying all identified contributors have been formally directed to submit their responses as part of a preliminary investigation being conducted by the poll body.

He said Comelec is requiring donors and contributors to explain why they allegedly failed to disclose their donations within the period mandated by law.

“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,” Garcia said in an interview.

He warned that donors and contributors who fail to report their contributions within 30 days after an election may be held liable under the Omnibus Election Code, which carries penalties of one to six years’ imprisonment for election offenses.

The poll body chief further explained that while Republic Act 7166 removed criminal liability for candidates who fail to disclose contributions, replacing it with administrative or monetary penalties, no similar amendment was extended to donors and contributors, allowing election offense cases against them to proceed.

Comelec had previously recommended dismissing complaints against candidates while continuing to pursue cases against donors and contributors based on separate complaints filed with its law department.

Garcia also noted that the commission earlier cleared Marcoleta in relation to alleged non-disclosure issues due to insufficient evidence, while a separate case involving Escudero, previously cleared by Comelec over some P30 million in campaign donations, has been elevated to the Supreme Court after being challenged.