Iglesia ni Cristo Decries 'Selective Justice' Amid Plunder Raps vs. Senator Marcoleta

The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), a prominent religious group in the Philippines, has strongly condemned the impending plunder charges against Senator Rodante Marcoleta by the Office of the Ombudsman, labeling it as "selective justice" and a "distortion of law." The sect is voicing its support for the senator, who faces accusations related to his alleged failure to declare P75 million in campaign contributions from three donors. In a livestreamed message by the INC-owned television station Net 25, Bro. Edwil Zabala, the sect’s spokesperson, said they opposed the application of “selective justice” and the “distortion of law” in Marcoleta’s case. "The Iglesia ni Cristo supports what Senator Marcoleta stands for because it is also our position. We call for transparency, accountability, justice, and peace," Zabala said in Filipino. "That is why we want the authorities to hear this: even if they jail Senator Marcoleta, we will not stop demanding justice for our fellow Filipinos who have been robbed." The statement came following Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s announcement on Monday that said his office was set to file a plunder case against Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan. The INC said Marcoleta, as former chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee, had led an investigation into the flood control project anomalies that implicated other high officials in the misuse of public infrastructure funds. It noted that he continued to pursue the matter even after being removed as chair following a leadership revamp in the chamber. "What we find puzzling is why the very person who has been pushing to expose those allegedly involved in this massive theft of the Filipino people’s money is now the one being charged and threatened with imprisonment, instead of those whom he exposed," Zabala said. "We want them to know that selective justice is an injustice, and we will not remain silent in the face of this grave assault on the justice that our people deserve," he added. Marcoleta echoed the INC statement that the filing of the nonbailable plunder case against him was meant to stop him from further exposing corruption and from participating in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte as one of the senator-judges. The trial is set to begin on July 6. "My only sin is to serve you, if that can be called a sin—to face them with all courage so that you may know the truth," he said in Filipino in a video message posted on his Facebook page. "But if I am arrested, that will no longer happen. They think this issue will simply be forgotten? … I know they will do this. I know they will arrest me. I know they will imprison me," the senator added. Citing the timing of the Ombudsman’s case, Marcoleta said “Another thing they were hoping for is that I will no longer be able to participate in the impeachment trial which is set to begin next week. Therefore, that’s hitting two birds with one stone.” He recalled an exchange during a Senate hearing in which, according to him, Remulla agreed with the statement that “sometimes we have to bend the law.” Marcoleta also questioned why charges are being pursued against him while others being linked to irregularities have yet to be prosecuted. He cited the complaint against former Speaker Martin Romualdez, which he said remains pending since April. Later on Tuesday, President Marcos, through a message relayed by Palace press officer Claire Castro, reminded INC members that holding a protest does not absolve a person from facing a criminal case. "The acquittal of an accused person happens in court; it cannot be achieved through rallies," Castro said, quoting the President. "The President is listening to what you are saying about your continued call for transparency, accountability, and the enforcement of the law. This is what the President has been doing since he took office, especially since he discovered anomalies in flood control projects," she added. Malacañang also disputed the INC’s accusation of selective justice. "There is no selective justice prevailing under the administration of President Marcos. In fact, even friends and allies have already been arrested, detained, and are now facing plunder and graft cases," Castro said. Among those who have been investigated and detained for their involvement in the flood control scandal, she said, were Marcos allies like former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. who was charged for allegedly receiving kickbacks in the P92.8-million ghost project in Pandi, Bulacan. "That alone demonstrates the truth of what the President has said—regardless of your political color, whether you are a relative or a friend, if there is evidence and evidence exists against you, then you should explain or defend yourself in court," Castro said. Malacañang maintained it had no hand in the Ombudsman’s investigation of Marcoleta. Castro said the case arose from the senator’s own submissions of his statement of contributions and expenditures, and statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, as well as alleged discrepancies between his declared assets and the scale of his campaign spending for the 2025 elections. "If we are calling for the law to be enforced, shouldn’t we also comply with the law ourselves? How can we demand that others obey the law if we ourselves, while holding a rally, are not complying with it? she added. Marcoleta claimed that the filing of the case against him was “planned.” "Two weeks before the Ombudsman made his announcement, (Sen. Panfilo) Ping Lacson had already said that around nine more senators would end up in jail. It was as if he already knew what was going to happen," he said. But Lacson, in a statement, called out Marcoleta for claiming that his impending arrest was linked to the Vice President’s impeachment trial. "It’s gaslighting time once more. The mention of nine senators being possibly incarcerated was a hypothetical statement in the context of determining the base number to compute the constitutional requirement of 2/3 vote of all senators actively participating or not in the impeachment trial," Lacson said. He earlier expressed concerns that the Supreme Court may have to intervene to address the potential “absurdity” of the impeachment court being drastically reduced in size and making an acquittal inevitable if, hypothetically, at least nine out of 24 senator-judges were detained and suspended. Lacson cited the case of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, who is facing plunder and graft charges for allegedly receiving kickbacks in flood control projects. "What’s the point of an impeachment trial if only 15 senator-judges can vote, and 16 votes are needed to convict? The trial could be reduced to a formality for acquittal. So the Supreme Court may need to intervene," he said in a radio interview on June 18. /cb