MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has cleared Senator Rodante Marcoleta of any election offense over alleged nondisclosure of campaign contributions, but noted he failed to fully comply with reporting requirements under election law.

In a decision issued Wednesday, March 18, the poll body terminated its motu proprio investigation against Marcoleta, citing lack of evidence to establish that he committed an election offense.

Marcoleta had been investigated for allegedly failing to disclose all campaign donors in his statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) during the midterm elections. The probe stemmed from his admission that some contributions were not declared, reportedly at the request of donors.

In his explanation submitted through legal counsel, Marcoleta said the P75 million he received from three individuals was given before the official campaign period. His camp argued that he was not yet considered a candidate at the time, and therefore the funds should not be classified as campaign donations.

The Comelec en banc adopted the recommendation of its Political Finance and Affairs Department to dismiss the case, stating there was “no other evidence” to support an election offense.

However, the poll body recommended filing charges against the senator’s donors—Michael Tan Defensor, Joseph Varias Espiritu, and Aristotle Baluyut Viray—for failing to submit their individual Reports of Contributions within 30 days after the elections, as required by law.

The decision underscores compliance requirements under the Omnibus Election Code, even as it absolved Marcoleta of criminal liability.