MANILA — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta said he is prepared to peacefully submit to authorities should an arrest warrant be issued against him over plunder and indirect bribery complaints pending before the Office of the Ombudsman, even as he dismissed the accusations as fabricated and politically motivated.
Speaking on the Net 25 program Sa Ganang Mamamayan, Marcoleta disclosed that he had received information indicating that his arrest could be imminent as authorities continue investigating allegations linked to campaign contributions reportedly received from former Quezon City congressman Mike Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray.
“Nabalitaan ko na, kaya nga ako nagpapahayag ngayon. Kung saka-sakali pong ituloy nila ang pag-aresto sa akin, ako po ay sasama sa kanila peacefully. Ibig sabihin, I will not resist. Sapagkat tungkulin po ‘yun ng arresting officer. Alam ko naman po ‘yung tuntunin kung paano ka aarestuhin. Eh talagang ganyan,” he said.
Despite his willingness to cooperate, Marcoleta insisted that the complaints filed against him have no legal basis and were allegedly concocted to derail his work in the Senate, particularly hearings related to alleged anomalies in flood control projects.
“Dahil ito sa ginawa kong pakikipaglaban tungkol sa katwiran at sa umiiral na batas. Kung ito ang magiging kabayaran ng pagtatanggol ko sa ating bansa, sa ating mga kababayan, eh nasa kanila po ‘yun. Wala akong alam na aking nilabag na batas. Yung pong kanilang mga asunto ay puro imbento yun,” Marcoleta claimed.
The senator further argued that the allegations could not constitute plunder because they do not involve public funds.
“(This case) walang kaugnayan po sa public funds. Wala po akong ninakaw. Ang tanging kasalanan ko lang po sa kanila, hindi sa taong bayan, ay yung pilitin ko po na ituloy ang pagdinig dyan sa flood control projects anomaly na yan,” he added.
Marcoleta maintained that the questioned contributions came from private individuals and not from government coffers.
“So, yun ang kinakapit nila, pribadong pera na itinulong sa akin, paano naging public, paano naging plunder yun? Eh, kahit mga taong karaniwan na hindi naman mga abogado, nagtataka ika, paano po kayo nadawit sa pagnanakaw ng pera ng bayan? Eh ewan ko kako sa kanila pero mag-iimbento sila ng kahit anong iaakusa sa akin para lang maaresto nila ako at matigil na nang tuluyan yung pagdinig sa Blue Ribbon,” he said.
Earlier this month, Marcoleta submitted a counter-affidavit before the Office of the Ombudsman, denying allegations that he committed acts constituting plunder and indirect bribery.
He said he “vehemently and categorically” rejected the accusations and maintained that the campaign donations being questioned were lawfully received and did not involve the misuse of public resources.
The complaints stem from allegations that certain campaign contributions were not properly disclosed, a claim that Marcoleta has consistently denied.
The Office of the Ombudsman has yet to issue a final ruling on the case./PN
