QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Television host Nelson Lubao was excused from giving testimony on Monday, marking the conclusion of Senator Rodante Marcoleta’s bail hearing in connection with a plunder case over ₱75 million in undeclared donations.
The court granted a formal manifestation submitted by Lubao on September 9 requesting his discharge as a witness based on “religious grounds,” though specific details were not elaborated in open court.
Lubao served as Marcoleta’s co-host on the public affairs show “Sa Ganang Mamamayan,” broadcast on free-TV network Net 25—a channel operated by the religious organization Iglesia ni Cristo, where Marcoleta is an active member.
During an episode aired on November 8, 2025, the senator acknowledged taking financial contributions under an agreement keeping the donors’ identities anonymous.
While Lubao was originally slated to confirm the authenticity of a flash drive and a web link containing footage of Marcoleta’s televised statements, both the prosecution and defense instead agreed to stipulate to the video evidence’s authenticity.
With witness testimony concluded, both sides are scheduled to formally submit their documentary evidence, clearing the path for the bail petition to be submitted for decision.
Associate Justice Ronald Moreno noted that the court has tentatively set November 3 as the target date to rule on Marcoleta’s petition for temporary liberty.
The main trial for the plunder charge is scheduled to open on Thursday, October 8.
When proceedings begin, prosecutors plan to call Atty. Paula Corrales, who issued certified true copies of the deeds of donation, alongside the custodian of records for the notary public involved. The prosecution aims to demonstrate a discrepancy between the dates the contributions were purportedly given and the time the legal deeds were executed and notarized.
Maria Mananghaya-Henson, director of the Office of the Ombudsman’s Field Investigation Bureau, previously testified that investigators uncovered evidence of collusion among the accused to hide the gifts’ true purpose.
Henson highlighted that while the donations reportedly took place in January 2025, the corresponding donor’s taxes—paid on behalf of former Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Mike Defensor and businessman Joseph Espiritu—were only settled in December 2025 by one of Marcoleta’s staff members.