Senator Rodante Marcoleta insists he surrendered to the authorities.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta insisted that he surrendered, but the PNP stated he was arrested on plunder charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
On Monday, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday confirmed that Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, with other co-accused, were arrested on plunder charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman. This is after an arrest warrant for plunder charges was issued against them.
Based on a previous article, the Office of the Ombudsman has filed a plunder case against Senator Marcoleta and three of his co-accused over ₱75 million in campaign donations.
The other accused were:
- Former lawmaker Mike Defensor
- Joseph Varias Espiritu
- Aristotle Baluyut Viray
Plunder is a non-bailable offense and carries a penalty of up to 40 years in prison, and recently, Marcoleta and the other co-accused were arrested by the authorities. However, the senator would rather call it “surrendering,” despite PNP chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr’s statement that he was arrested.
The case stems from his alleged failure to declare ₱75 million in campaign donations he received from three individuals in January 2025 in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) and Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), while he was still serving as the representative of the SAGIP Party-list in Congress.
“Warrant of arrest has been effected. He is arrested,” Nartatez said.
However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Monday that it is up to the Sandiganbayan to determine whether Marcoleta voluntarily surrendered or was arrested following the issuance of a warrant against him, noting that the distinction would only become significant if he is ultimately convicted.
“We will evade if it was an arrest or voluntary surrender. But what’s important to know is that this is the way for the court to get jurisdiction over the accused. It’s either arrest or voluntary surrender,” Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty made the clarification.
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