Sen. Rodante Marcoleta Maintains Innocence amid Possible Plunder Charges
MARCOLETA – The minority Senator claimed that some of the P75 million campaign donations to him were from his friends who wanted to keep their identities.
Thousands of members of Iglesia ni Cristo joined the surprise rally held along EDSA in support for the Senator. The protest came after Ombudsman Boying Remulla claimed that he will file a plunder case against the Senator before the Sandiganbayan.
The possible filing of plunder charges against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta stems from the P75 million campaign donation to him that was not declared in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
The Senator admitted receiving campaign donations that were not declared in his SALN. However, he opposes the plunder case against him calling it as supposedly fabricated. His slammed Ombudsman Remulla for allegedly leading it.
Sen. Rodante Marcoleta claimed that he is ready to be arrested and be imprisoned amid the possible filing of plunder charges against him. According to the Senator, they cannot stop him from serving the Filipino people.
“Alam kong aarestuhin nila ako, alam kong ikukulong nila ako ngunit hindi po dahilan ‘yan para tumigil ako sa paglilingkod sa inyo. Kasi po iisa lang ang paraan ko upang paglingkuran ang taong-bayan dahil sa pagtitiwalang ibinigay niyo sa akin,” Marcoleta said.
The Senator also claimed that the arrest and the imprisonment are supposedly small sacrifices for him if it means showing the Filipino people their worth. He called on the public not to allow the bending of the reasoning.
“Maliit na bagay po ang sakripisyo na aking haharapin. Kung ang katumbas po nito’y maipakita natin ang kahalagahan ninyo bilang mamamayan ng ating bansa… Huwag po tayong pumayag na basta-basta na lang nilang baluktutin ang katwiran,” the Senator said.
Sen. Rodante Marcoleta also joined the suprise rally that gathered thousands of INC members who support him. Based on News5, he gave a speech at the rally wherein he maintained his innocence.
The Senator claimed that some of the donors for his campaign who raised a total of P75 million are his friends. Based on the report, he claimed that his donors prefer to be anonymous.
Former Senate Pres. Alan Peter Cayetano also joined the surprise rally of the INC and defended Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.