Rep. Paolo Marcoleta Expresses Support for Dad Sen. Rodante Marcoleta
PAOLO MARCOLETA – The SAGIP Representative posted a birthday greeting for his dad, detained Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who is celebrating his 73rd birthday.
Sen. Rodante Marcoleta is currently detained in the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas as ordered by the Sandiganbayan. The minority Senator is faced with plunder charges for allegedly not declaring a multi-million campaign donation in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
Marcoleta was vocal that he is ready to face arrest and detention. Previously, shortly after Ombudsman Boying Remulla announced that plunder charges will be filed against the minority Senator, thousands of members of Iglesia ni Cristo launched a protest rally in support for the Senator.
The Ombudsman filed the plunder charges against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta. According to the anti-graft office, they cannot simply let pass the supposed admissions of the Senator that he received multi-million donations that were not declared.
During the INC rally, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta claimed that some of the donors behind the campaign donation are his friends. According to him, they want to be anonymous. On the same day that the senators convened as an impeachment court for the trial of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, Marcoleta was arrested.
Today, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta celebrates his 73rd birthday. On social media, his son, SAGIP Rep. Paolo Marcoleta, posted a heartfelt birthday greeting for the detained Senator along with a photo of them wearing a Japanese attire.
“Happy birthday Daddy Sen Rodante Marcoleta! Pardon me for the photo, this is our last picture together from our recent Japan trip donning a Kimono. The costume you are wearing here is emblematic of what you represent in today’s politics.”
According to Rep. Paolo Marcoleta, like a “noble Samurai warrior”, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta “embody the code of Bushido”. He described his father as “dauntless” and “chivalrous in the face of adversary”.
The younger Marcoleta further stressed that his father chose the difficult but moral choice and sacrificed his own freedom for truth. In his post, he expressed an encouragement to the detained Senator to remain strong as his situation will allegedly not be too long.
“You faced the made up charges against you with your head held high, knowing that the cases are baseless in law and in fact, and we know that they put you behind bars because they couldn’t fight a fair fight,” he wrote.
Previously, shortly after his arrest, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta was hospitalized and the results of his chest x-ray were released to the public.