Jamaine Punzalan

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta joins a plenary session, August 6, 2025. Joseph B. Vidal, OSP/File

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SENATE- IMPEACHMENT VOTE- SC DECISION

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177146689964820250806-senate-impeachment-vote-marcoleta-OSP-2 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Rodante Marcoleta joins a plenary session, August 6, 2025. Joseph B. Vidal, OSP/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has concluded its fact-finding investigation on Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) over an alleged discrepancy, Chairman George Garcia said Thursday. </p><p>In a text message to ABS-CBN News, Garcia replied in the affirmative when asked if the Political and Finance Affairs Department (PFAD) had finished the fact-finding stage. </p><p>“Ang defense nya: nabigay ang campaign donation before siya naging candidate,” Garcia said. </p><p>“Pursuant to the Peñera doctrine [na] nagsasabi [na] kandidato lang sa automated election mula sa unang araw ng campaign period,” he added. </p><p>In a 2009 decision involving Rosalinda Peñera – then mayor of Sta. Monica, Surigao del Norte – the Supreme Court ruled that a candidate is only liable for election offenses only upon the start of the campaign period.</p><p>&quot;Any person who files his certificate of candidacy within [the filing] period shall only be considered a candidate at the start of the campaign period for which he filed his certificate of candidacy,” a portion of the 2009 resolution read. </p><p>“Election offenses can be committed by a candidate ‘only’ upon the start of the campaign period. This clearly means that before the start of the campaign period, such election offenses cannot be so committed,” it added. </p><p>Kontra Daya Convenor Danilo Arao late last year said Marcoleta’s SOCE was “highly questionable and practically impossible.”</p><p>He noted that Marcoleta’s SOCE declared over P112 million in campaign expenses without contributions. But his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) showed his net worth at only P52 million, which is just about 46 percent of his campaign expenses. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/13/comelec-reviewing-soces-over-concerns-on-marcoleta-s-declaration-2255">Comelec reviewing SOCEs over concerns on Marcoleta&#x27;s declaration</a></div><p>In a TV interview, Marcoleta said he did not disclose campaign contributions from his friends during the 2025 midterm elections because they had wanted to remain anonymous.</p><div><strong>WHY THE FACT-FINDING WAS LAUNCHED</strong></div><p>Garcia in November last year told reporters the poll body wanted to find out if there was a violation of some provisions of the Omnibus Election Code. </p><p>Under Section 98, for example, a person who contributed to a candidate, party treasurer, or any of their authorized representatives should use their own names. The record should also reflect this.</p><p>Section 99 of the Omnibus Election Code, meanwhile, states that an individual who contributed to a candidate, party treasurer, or any of their authorized representatives should “file with the Commission a report under oath stating the amount of each contribution, the name of the candidate, agent of the candidate or political party receiving the contribution, and the date of the contribution.”</p><p>Any candidate or political party-list that declared untruthful information in the SOCE could be liable under the SOCE law and can also be charged with perjury, according to Garcia. </p><p>In his text message, Garcia did not say when the full results of the fact-finding investigation would be released, but should they find any violation under the Omnibus Election Code, he said the Comelec would launch a preliminary investigation on the matter. </p><p>He added that he inhibited from the discussions on the matter.  </p><p>“Hindi ako nakikialam,” he said.    </p><p>ABS-CBN News has sought comments from Marcoleta’s camp, but they have yet to respond as of this story’s posting.</p><div><iframe width="725" height="408" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3h3GH0xL0o4" title="Comelec rinerepaso ang SOCE ni Marcoleta | DZMM TeleRadyo" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Commission on Elections has concluded its fact-finding investigation on Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) over an alleged discrepancy, Chairman George Garcia said Thursday.</p>

The Commission on Elections has concluded its fact-finding investigation on Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) over an alleged discrepancy, Chairman George Garcia said Thursday.

Comelec done with fact-finding probe on Marcoleta’s SOCE

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Comelec done with fact-finding probe on Marcoleta’s SOCE

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 19, 2026 10:43 AM PHT

Read More:

Marcoleta

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Rodante Marcoleta

Marcoleta SOCE

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