Garcia: Comelec soon to issue reso on Marcoleta’s SOCE case

MANILA, Philippines — The Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will soon issue a resolution regarding the case of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta over his alleged inaccurate disclosure of contributions in his statement of contribution and expenditure (SOCE) in the 2025 midterm elections, its chairperson George Erwin Garcia said on Thursday. 

Garcia was asked if the case is now up for resolution as the PFAD issued a show cause order to the senator in November. The PFAD is responsible for reviewing and validating the candidates’ SOCEs. 

READ: Comelec to Marcoleta: Explain alleged inaccuracies in SOCE

“Yes, it is for resolution by the PFAD,” Garcia said in a Viber message. 

Marcoleta was summoned by the Comelec to explain why some of his public statements allegedly did not match his SOCE and statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN). This came after the senator, in an interview with Net25, was asked why his expenditure in his SOCE is much higher than his declared assets. 

Marcoleta noted that he did not declare in his SOCEs some of his contributions upon the request of his friends to remain anonymous. His SOCE, which can be accessed in Comelec’s website, showed that he had zero contributions, while his campaign expenditure is worth P112,857,951.44, and his assets from his SALN amounted to P80,401,700. 

Upon the fact-finding investigation, Garcia said that Marcoleta’s defense was that he received the donations prior to the start of the campaign period of the 2025 elections.

READ: Lubiano-Escudero donation cleared by Comelec unit

“His defense: the campaign donation was given before he was declared candidate pursuant to the Peñera doctrine which states that they will be just named as candidates for the automated elections on the start of the campaign period,” Garcia noted.  

Meanwhile, Garcia did not disclose when the PFAD will issue the resolution. He also said that it will be up for the law department to conduct a preliminary investigation. 

“I inhibited from that, that’s why I don’t meddle with it,” Garcia added. 

Garcia earlier emphasized that candidates must declare their expenditures and donations, “especially if the expenditures and contributions happened during the campaign period” as mandated by the Section 99 of the Omnibus Election Code. /das