Senator Rodante Marcoleta entered a plea of not guilty during his arraignment at the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Wednesday, facing counts of plunder and alleged violations of Presidential Decree 46.
Before his formal arraignment proceeded, Marcoleta’s defense attorneys dropped their motion to dismiss the charges, paving the way for the court to read the two counts against him. His co-accused, Joseph Varias Espiritu, also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The legal action traces back to claims that Marcoleta neglected to report ₱75 million in donations received for his 2025 senatorial run.
Office of the Ombudsman investigators asserted that they found proof of three distinct cash gifts totaling ₱75 million, which were left out of both his campaign expense reports and his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
Meanwhile, the related charge under Presidential Decree 46 addresses legal restrictions that ban public servants from taking gifts, presents, or financial favors tied to their public positions.