Arrest warrant issued for Senator Marcoleta, 3 others in P75-M plunder case

The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday ordered the arrest of Senator Rodante Marcoleta and three others in connection with a P75-million plunder case over undeclared campaign donations the lawmaker received for his 2025 senatorial bid. Associate Justice Karl Miranda announced the order after motions filed by Marcoleta to dismiss the case were junked. The senator personally attended the hearing. Marcoleta told reporters that he anticipated the issuance of an arrest warrant and is ready to face it. "Pag punta ko dito inaasahan ko na lahat. Ako ay hindi magtatago, haharapin ko lahat. Kung i-serve nila ang warrant ay tatanggapin ko," he said. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Major General Robert Alexander Morico II were also at the Sandiganbayan. Aside from Marcoleta, the other individuals ordered arrested by the anti-graft court are his alleged campaign donors: former Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Michael Defensor, and businessmen Joseph Varias Espiritu and Aristotle Baluyut Viray. Plunder is a non-bailable offense. As such, Marcoleta and his co-accused must file a motion seeking bail before they can secure temporary liberty. On top of plunder charges, Marcoleta and three others are also facing separate cases for violation of Presidential Decree 46 (PD 46), prohibiting public officials from receiving, directly or indirectly, any gift, present or any other form of benefit in the course of official duties. Marcoleta is facing three counts of violation of PD 46, while Defensor, Espiritu, and Viray are each facing one count of violation of PD 46. TIMELINE: The plunder case vs. Rodante Marcoleta over P75-M campaign contributions The Office of the Ombudsman filed the charges against Marcoleta on Friday. "Today, we filed a plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan. This was not a decision made lightly or by choice. The evidence includes three cash donations totaling P75 million, undeclared in the senator's SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth) and campaign finance reports. This leaves our office no discretion to look away," the Ombudsman said. According to the Ombudsman, Marcoleta received the P75 million on three separate occasions: The Ombudsman also said the donor’s tax for the P75 million was paid only in December 2025, which prosecutors argued was belated and indicative of concealment. The payment of donor’s tax also happened after Marcoleta justified the non-declaration of the campaign donation in his campaign expenditure statement. “Utang na loob na, eh. Ngayon, dahil sa hindi ko puwedeng isiwalat ang kanilang identity, kaya sinabi ko zero in contribution,” Marcoleta said in November 2025. (It is a debt of gratitude, that is why I cannot divulge their identity, that is why I said zero in contribution.) The Ombudsman, however, said debt of gratitude is not a defense for a criminal act. “The moment gratitude is used to explain away P75 million in undisclosed money, it stops being 'utang na loob' and becomes exactly what our plunder and bribery laws were written to prevent," the Ombudsman said. Ahead of the filing of plunder charges, Marcoleta said that he is being pursued by government prosecutors to silent dissent against the administration, especially amid the inquiry on flood control mess. GMA News is trying to reach Marcoleta for comment. He previously called the accusations against him part of a plan to silence him. In a social media post after the filing of charges, Defensor raised questions about the basis for a plunder case and if the same was being applied equally to everyone. Defensor insisted that the accusation was anchored on campaign donations, and do not involve government funds. He said, "No favor was requested, promised, or given in exchange for any donation." He vowed to face the plunder charges before the court, and that he would not be silenced from continuing to expose corruption in the flood control scandal. — VDV/AOL, GMA News