MANILA — The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division has issued a warrant of arrest against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta following the filing of a plunder case linked to P75 million in campaign donations he received while serving as a party-list representative.
The arrest order was released Monday, just days after the Office of the Ombudsman formally filed the criminal case before the anti-graft court.
The complaint stems from Marcoleta’s public admission in January 2025 that he accepted campaign contributions totaling P75 million for his 2025 Senate bid. The donations allegedly came from former Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor, who contributed P30 million, Aristotle Viray with P25 million, and Joseph Espiritu with P20 million.
Investigators said the funds exceeded the P50-million threshold required for plunder under Republic Act No. 7080. Prosecutors also alleged that the money was not reflected in Marcoleta’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) as of June 30, 2025. His filed SALN reportedly declared only P39.6 million in assets accumulated from 1992 through mid-2025.
In his defense, Marcoleta argued that the campaign donations could not be treated as public funds, insisting that the plunder law should not apply. However, the Ombudsman maintained that public funds are not an essential element in every plunder prosecution and said the evidence supporting the complaint included Marcoleta’s own public statements.
The filing of the case prompted members of the Iglesia ni Cristo to stage a protest near the EDSA People Power Monument last week, expressing support for Marcoleta and denouncing what they described as selective justice.
Marcoleta has claimed the charges are politically motivated and intended to prevent him from participating in the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which begins Monday.
For its part, the Office of the Ombudsman said the case was filed based on available evidence and urged the public to allow the judicial process to determine the facts.
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