Key facts
- Senator Rodante Marcoleta was arrested on allegations of large-scale plunder.
- The charge stems from his alleged failure to declare 75 million pesos in campaign contributions.
- Marcoleta denies any wrongdoing and sought to question the charges.
- A plunder charge is non-bailable.
- Marcoleta's religious group, Iglesia ni Cristo, held a large protest, causing traffic issues.
- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cancelled engagements due to the protest.
Another Philippine senator, Rodante Marcoleta, was arrested on Monday on allegations of large-scale plunder, marking the latest in a series of arrests of upper legislative chamber members for suspected corruption. Marcoleta, 71, denies wrongdoing and appeared at the Sandiganbayan special anti-graft court to challenge the charges and seek a delay in his arrest. A plunder charge is non-bailable.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the charge against Marcoleta for allegedly failing to declare 75 million pesos ($1.2 million) in campaign contributions from three supporters in his assets statement. His affiliation with Iglesia ni Cristo, or Church of Christ, led to a three-day protest by over 15,000 members, causing significant traffic jams and prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cancel two official engagements.
Earlier last month, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, a political ally of Marcoleta, was arrested and detained on a similar non-bailable plunder charge related to alleged kickbacks from flood-control projects. Both Marcoleta and Estrada are supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte. The Senate is set to begin the impeachment trial of Sara Duterte, who faces charges including amassing undeclared wealth and threatening the president. Additionally, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, another Duterte ally, is reportedly in hiding following an International Criminal Court arrest warrant related to the former president's anti-drug campaign.