MANILA — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta expressed confidence that the plunder case the Office of the Ombudsman filed against him over the non-disclosure of P75 million in campaign contributions would eventually be dismissed by the Sandiganbayan, insisting the accusations have no legal basis.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed plunder charges against Marcoleta on July 3 over his failure to declare the P75 million in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) and Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
In an interview with Russia Today, Marcoleta dismissed the case as politically driven and legally flawed.
“This is a fabricated charge. It is not even within the meaning and parameters of our plunder law. Our plunder law is about amassing ill-gotten wealth. It’s a serious crime. It is not about, you know, getting election financial support from friends,” Marcoleta said.
“That is why I am quite sure that this particular charge will be junked by the court in due time,” he added.
Under Republic Act No. 7080, or the Anti-Plunder Law, ill-gotten wealth refers to assets acquired through commissions, gifts, kickbacks, or other pecuniary benefits in connection with government contracts or by reason of a public official’s position.
Marcoleta argued that the questioned donations were received before the official campaign period for the 2025 elections and therefore were not required to be declared. He identified the donors as former Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray.
“My donors even paid the donors’ tax. And these are all legal. And these were all reported,” Marcoleta said. “They are private funds and they have nothing to do with ill-gotten wealth.”
The senator also claimed the charges were politically motivated and intended to derail his investigation into alleged anomalies in flood control projects while preventing him from participating in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Marcoleta said he was ready to face arrest if authorities proceeded with the case.
“Nakahanda po akong magpakulong. Kung kinakailangang maaresto po ako wala pong problema. Kung ito po ang kabayarang hinihingi para ipagtanggol ko ang katarungan at ang pambansang kagalingan at ang interes ng mamayang Pilipino,” he said.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano, however, maintained that plunder may also involve the receipt of commissions, gifts, or kickbacks under circumstances prohibited by law.
He said the issue in Marcoleta’s case centers on the senator’s alleged failure to declare the P75 million he received./PN
