The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) confirmed on Monday that subpoenas have been issued to the campaign contributors of Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Rodante Marcoleta regarding complaints linked to the May 2025 midterm elections.
According to COMELEC Chairperson George Garcia, the law department has summoned Lawrence Lubiano (a donor for Escudero), alongside former Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Mike Defensor, Joseph Varias Espiritu, and Aristotle Baluyut Viray (donors for Marcoleta).
“The status of the investigation, are there any summons? What I know is that subpoenas have been issued by our law department,” he said in an interview at a Comelec warehouse here.
“What will be done here is what is called a preliminary investigation…So, again, the so-called preliminary investigation will be rolled out,” he added.
Garcia clarified that the current proceedings stem from formal complaints lodged by private citizens. This marks a shift from the poll body’s initial motu proprio (self-initiated) fact-finding inquiry, which was dropped due to a lack of substantial evidence against the senators.
“What the COMELEC did before, it was a self-proclaimed investigation. It was based only on available documents, available evidence, no complainant. There was no evidence gathered by our office,” he said.
“But, this time complaints were filed and therefore there were other documents involved, there were documents introduced and therefore we need to have those documents answered by the accused. Previously, those documents did not exist,” the Comelec chief added.
The complaints were initiated after lawyer Jesus Falcis filed a case against Escudero, while the COMELEC Law Department ordered an investigation into Marcoleta’s three donors for failing to submit their required report of contributions within a month after the elections.
Addressing the potential penalties, Garcia explained that a breach of Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) regulations does not prompt an immediate disqualification, though it can escalate to a criminal election offense depending on the investigation’s outcome.
“What is called a violation of the SOCE, is not a ground for disqualification. Later on, maybe if you fail to file the SOCE twice, it will be a perpetual disqualification to hold public office,” Garcia added.