‘Marcoleta can now defend himself in court’

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta now has a chance to defend himself in court from allegations that he committed plunder for allegedly receiving P75 million in campaign funds without declaring it, according to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.

Speaking to radio dzMM yesterday, Gatchalian said he would rather not comment on Marcoleta possibly seeking Senate protective custody.

“I don’t want to speculate and answer hypothetical questions. The status now is that Senator Marcoleta has the chance to defend himself,” Gatchalian said.

He also called it speculative when asked what the Senate would do in case Marcoleta is ordered arrested while serving as senator judge in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

On X, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Marcoleta himself gave evidence to authorities, when, in his Net25 program, he admitted that he had accepted P75-million campaign funds from former congressman Mike Defensor and businessmen Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu.

“The prosecutor may just sit and watch with folded arms while the respondent argues against himself and the damning evidence that he himself presented in plain view of all the witnesses who watched his ‘admission against interest’ on national TV,” Lacson tweeted.

Marcoleta had also admitted not declaring it in his election expenditure report upon his friends’ requests.

He countered the plunder charge, saying he did not declare the campaign donations because for him, it had been used for its purpose and is not part of his assets.

Former lawmaker Defensor on Friday questioned the legal basis of the plunder case against him and Marcoleta, arguing that the allegations stem from campaign donations and not stolen government funds.

Defensor argued that if campaign donations are now being treated as the basis for plunder, the same standard should be applied to all public officials regardless of political affiliation.

Malacañang said the government would not interfere in Marcoleta’s plunder case, maintaining there is no “selective justice” under the Marcos administration.

Palace press officer Claire Castro urged the public to respect the legal process, while ensuring that due process will always be observed. — Mark Ernest Villeza, Helen Flores