Senate Deputy Minority Leader Rodante Marcoleta and his son, SAGIP Party-list Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta, pushed back against a report by Bilyonaryo News Channel (BNC) that appeared to link Mrs. Edna Marcoleta to Sarah Discaya, one of the controversial contractors tied to questionable government flood control projects.
Mrs. Marcoleta is the wife of Sen. Rodante and the mother of Rep. Paolo Henry.
According to documents obtained by BNC, Discaya visited the regional manager of Stronghold Insurance in 2020 and 2022 regarding a bond obligation for her company. Records also showed that Mrs. Marcoleta serves as an independent director and chair of the audit committee of the said insurance firm.
REP. PAOLO HENRY MARCOLETA
Rep. Marcoleta immediately criticized BNC, clarifying that his mother is not an employee of the insurance company.
“Kayo ang bistado, Bilyonaryo News Channel! Bistadong bistado ang bias niyo,” he said in a Facebook post.
“My mother, Edna Marcoleta is not a co-owner, not a regular/inside director but an INDEPENDENT director of Stronghold Insurance. Bilyonaryo News Channel should know that an independent director is not an employee of the company, has no such material ties, no substantial shares, no hand in sales and marketing activities, no significant professional relationships with the company or its stakeholders.”
SEN. RODANTE MARCOLETA
Sen. Marcoleta likewise denied that his wife has any connection to the Discyas.
“Mag-research sila ng kaunti para malaman nila ano yung independent director sa isang kompanya,” he said.
He added: “Ang isang independent director, hindi siya, wala siyang pagme-may-ari sa isang kompanya, wala siyang kinalaman sa management at wala siyang kamag-anak sa mga shareholders.”
The senator also branded BNC as “bayarang media.”
As of now, Bilyonaryo News Channel has yet to respond to the remarks of the Marcoletas.