Marcoleta Posts Bail Over Alleged Violations of Law Banning Gifts to Public Officials

Senator Rodante Marcoleta posted P90,000 bail on Thursday over alleged violations of Presidential Decree (PD) 46, stemming from his acceptance of a P75-million donation while he was an incumbent Sagip party-list representative. Marcoleta posted bail before the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth, Sixth and First Divisions, where the three PD 46 cases are pending. The decree prohibits public officials from receiving, directly or indirectly, any gift, present or other form of benefit in the course of their official duties. This came as the Sandiganbayan Third Division began hearings on Marcoleta’s petition for bail in the P75-million plunder case over alleged unjust enrichment stemming from an undeclared campaign donation. The P75-million donation is also the subject of the PD 46 charges filed against Marcoleta and three others: former Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Michael Defensor, Joseph Espiritu, and Aristotle Viray. However, since Marcoleta still has a pending plunder case, a non-bailable offense, he will remain detained at the New Quezon City Jail. — VBL, GMA News