The Office of the Ombudsman officially lodged a plunder case before the Sandiganbayan against Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Friday morning, moving forward with the prosecution despite a consecutive three-day demonstration held by members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) in his defense.
Anti-graft investigators formally delivered the indictment at approximately 10:20 a.m., naming Marcoleta alongside former Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Mike Defensor, and corporate executives Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray as co-defendants.
Under the provisions of Republic Act No. 7080, public officials can face plunder charges if they are found to have accumulated, amassed, or acquired ill-gotten wealth with an aggregate value of at least ₱50 million.
The case against the lawmaker centers on a total of ₱75 million in election contributions. According to the state’s formal complaint, the financial breakdown consists of ₱30 million provided by Defensor, ₱25 million from Espiritu, and ₱20 million from Viray.
The legal action stems from Marcoleta’s previous remarks during a broadcast of his own television program, where he openly acknowledged that he chose not to include the financial contributions of Defensor, Espiritu, and Viray in his official statement of contributions and expenditures for the 2025 midterm elections.
The senator maintained that withholding the identities of his financial backers was justified because they had explicitly requested anonymity.