CEBU gubernatorial candidate Pamela Baricuatro, facing an investigation over a P1 million donation received by her foundation from the Philippine Navy, initially stated her intention to comply with a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 subpoena.
However, she ultimately did not attend the scheduled appearance on Monday, April 7, 2025, citing “last-minute advice” from her legal counsel despite having been prepared to go.
In a brief interview on Monday, Baricuatro told reporters that her lawyer advised her not to attend the subpoena.
Public announcement
This followed her public announcement on her “Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro 2025” social media account on Sunday, April 6, where she shared the subpoena and expressed enthusiasm about addressing the issue, stating, “Thank you for the invitation NBI- Region 7. Excited to be there.”
Later on Monday, Baricuatro sent a follow-up message to SunStar Cebu clarifying, “I was advised by my lawyers not to go. I was prepared to go though.”
Baricuatro’s Simply Share Foundation Inc. (SSFI), which she founded in 2015, is under scrutiny because it allegedly accepted the P1 million donation from the Philippine Navy in 2022 without a valid License to Operate.
The NBI 7 subpoena directed her to appear for an investigation into alleged illegal solicitation activities, though specific details were not provided in the document. The appearance was scheduled for 2 p.m. on Monday.
Baricuatro has asserted her innocence, claiming she has nothing to hide and views the scrutiny as a necessary challenge for her future leadership aspirations.
“Why? Because I have nothing to hide. I also have no guilt that is chasing me. And I believe that this is just part of the things that I need to go through to be stronger, befitting to the up and coming role,” she said.
Addressing the NBI summons, SSFI executive director Elisse Nicole Catalan issued a statement on Monday, clarifying the foundation’s role in a post-super typhoon Odette donation drive.
Conduit
According to SSFI, the initiative was spearheaded by Miss Universe Philippines Bea Gomez out of compassion and civic duty.
SSFI, being based in Cebu, acted as a conduit to distribute aid to those in need and emphasized that the foundation was duly registered and compliant at the time of the donation drive.
SSFI also expressed concern that they are the only organization being questioned despite numerous unaccredited groups mobilizing after the typhoon.
The foundation argues that the issue pertains to the organization’s actions, not solely to Baricuatro as an individual.
In an interview on Monday, Naval Forces Central Commander Joselito de Guzman clarified that the P1 million donation from the Philippine Navy to Simply Share in 2022 did not involve government funds.
De Guzman explained that the donation came from the voluntary contributions of the Navy personnel’s daily subsistence allowance.
He said the donation was made in good faith to support SSFI’s feeding program for remote islands affected by super typhoon Odette in December 2021. / CDF, DPC