De Lima: Refer Marcoleta case to ombudsman, NBI

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections should have referred the case involving Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Office of the Ombudsman, House senior deputy minority leader and ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said yesterday.

“The Comelec absolved Sen. Marcoleta of the election offense of violating Section 109 of the Omnibus Election Code on the filing of SOCEs because the offense was already decriminalized under Republic Act 7166,” De Lima said in a statement.

However, she said Marcoleta could still face possible perjury and graft charges.

“While this is true, the Comelec should not have stopped there. It should have referred its findings and resolution to the NBI and the ombudsman for investigation of possible perjury and graft charges,” De Lima said.

De Lima added that Marcoleta should not have been cleared outright.

“He should not have been cleared just like that. There are other possible crimes he may have committed for allegedly failing to disclose election donations in his SOCE,” she said in Filipino.

“It is only proper for the Comelec to coordinate with and submit the results of its investigation to other agencies to determine whether other laws were violated aside from the Election Code,” she added.