FACT CHECK: Marcoleta, Estrada remain detained, contrary to claim

FACT CHECK: Marcoleta and Estrada remain detained, contrary to claim Claim: Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada have been released from detention. Rating: FALSE Why we fact-checked this: A YouTube channel named “BANATNEWSUPDATE” uploaded a video containing the claim on July 29. The video is titled “Kapapasok lang! Good news! Welcome back Marcoleta at Jinggoy! Ngayon lang! Nakalaya na sila?” (Just in! Good news! Welcome back Marcoleta and Jinggoy! Just now! Are they free?) Its thumbnail, which shows images of Marcoleta and Estrada alongside President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials, also bears the text, “Good news! Ngayon lang! Jinggoy at Marcoleta! Nakalaya na!” (Good news! Just now! Jinggoy and Marcoleta! Already released!) As of writing, the video has garnered over 10,000 views and 936 likes. The facts: Marcoleta and Estrada have not been released. Estrada is detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas after he was ordered arrested on June 1. He has asked the Sandiganbayan 5th Division to fix bail on his plunder case, but in a ruling dated July 24 but released on July 28, the court denied the motion, calling the petition “premature and devoid of legal basis.” Meanwhile, Marcoleta remains held at the New Quezon City Jail. He surrendered to authorities on July 6 after the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant for his arrest on plunder charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman. Rather than presenting any evidence of the two senators’ supposed release, the video only recycles commentary from the channel “Don Mar TV,” reacting to Marcoleta’s criticism of Marcos’ recent State of the Nation Address. At no point does the narration claim or discuss that Marcoleta or Estrada had been released. Facing charges: Estrada is accused of collecting kickbacks from anomalous flood control projects, while Marcoleta faces a separate plunder case over his alleged failure to declare P75 million in campaign donations during his 2025 Senate run. Plunder is a non-bailable offense. Aside from their plunder cases, Estrada is also facing two counts of graft over alleged corruption in flood control projects, while Marcoleta is facing three counts of alleged violation of Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts. Despite their detention, the Senate elected both senators to committee chairmanships on July 29 — Estrada to the committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation, Marcoleta to the panel on tourism — with Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian noting that they remain incumbent senators and that the vice chairs of the committees will run the hearings. The two detained senators have also pushed to be allowed to participate in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial as senator-judges. On July 20, Marcoleta submitted a manifestation asking that his vote still be counted in the proceedings. Two days later, the Sandiganbayan’s 3rd Division ordered Marcoleta to explain why he should not be placed under preventive suspension as a senator in view of his plunder case. Estrada’s own June 29 motion asking to be allowed to participate as a senator-judge in Duterte’s impeachment trial was denied by the anti-graft court’s 5th division. – Cyril Bocar/Rappler.com Efren Cyril Bocar is a journalist from Llorente, Eastern Samar who graduated with a degree in English Language Studies at the Visayas State University. Cyril is also a graduate of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship of Rappler for 2024. Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at [email protected]. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.