Sen. Marcoleta arrested over undeclared P75 million campaign donation

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Third Division ordered the arrest of Senator Rodante Marcoleta and three others on Monday, July 6, following the denial of his motions to dismiss a non-bailable plunder charge involving P75 million in undeclared campaign donations from the 2025 elections.

Marcoleta arrived voluntarily at the Sandiganbayan on Monday morning to file a motion to quash the charges and defer the issuance of a warrant. The anti-graft court denied the requests, finding probable cause to proceed with the case. Law enforcement authorities subsequently secured the building and took the lawmaker into custody. Co-accused former AnaKalusugan Representative Mike Defensor and businessman Joseph Espiritu were also arrested by police in Quezon City and brought to the Sandiganbayan, while businessman Aristotle Viray remains wanted.

The arrest was made following the filing of plunder raps against the lawmaker by the Office of the Ombudsman last Friday. In their statement that same day, the Ombudsman said that the decision to file the case against Marcoleta didn’t come “lightly or by choice”, emphasizing that the evidence came from the senator himself.

During a television interview in November 2025, Marcoleta admitted to receiving the P75 million. However, state prosecutors noted that Marcoleta did not declare the campaign donations in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) as of June 30, 2025.

The money allegedly came from Mike Defensor, who gave P30 million, alongside businessmen Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu, who donated P25 million and P20 million, respectively. Under Republic Act 7080, plunder charges apply as the amount involved exceeds the P50 million threshold.

In Marcoleta’s defense, he argued that the charges lack legal basis because the money consisted of private campaign donations rather than public funds. However, the Ombudsman clarified that plunder can still be committed even without public funds.

Marcoleta is scheduled to be detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas following booking procedures.