Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — Senator Rodante Marcoleta is preparing an ethics complaint against a fellow senator.</p><p>In a TV program he co-hosts, Marcoleta said he has already drafted an ethics complaint against a colleague whom he did not name, but accused of spreading a &quot;false narrative&quot;.</p><p>&quot;... gagawa ka ng ganong klaseng naratibo, ibang-iba doon sa tunay na nangyari, may siguradong sa Ethics Committee ang bagsak mo. Alam mo, sa totoo lang, meron na ako draft niyan eh. Inaayos na lang ang ilang bahagi. Kasi, sapagkat gusto ko talagang ilitaw yung mga pinaggagawa niya, patungkol sa isang naratibong taliwas sa tunay na nangyari. Sa aking palagay, hindi puwedeng palampasin itong ganito,&quot; he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/17/marcoleta-accepts-philippine-bar-association-offer-to-host-friendly-debate-on-west-philippine-sea-1256">Marcoleta accepts Philippine Bar Association offer to host ‘friendly debate’ on West Philippine Sea</a></div><p>Marcoleta said filing an ethics complaint is the direction his office will take.</p><p>He believes the alleged false narrative was made to agitate the public and make them angry at him.</p><p>“At na-a-agitate nga nila sapagkat mayroon na nagsasabi nagagalit ang mga kababayan natin na nakatira diyan sa Pag-asa at sa iba&#x27;t ibang features na ino-occupy ng ating mga kababayan. Hindi naman nila… alam naman na wala naman akong sinasabing ganun. Sila yung gumawa, kagaya ng palagi natin sinasabi, mahilig silang gumawa ng isang bagay, gagamitin nila yung tinatawag nating straw man fallacy,” Marcoleta stated.</p><p>He did not name the colleague he will file an ethics complaint against, but did say in a February 13 episode of their TV program that Sen. Panfilo Lacson allegedly spliced videos of the February 4 meeting of the Commission on Appointments (CA) Committee on National Defense.</p><p>The panel was deliberating the ad interim appointments of 35 senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).</p><p>Marcoleta, on February 13, recounted his conversation with Philippine Navy Captain Jess Pilar.</p><p>“Tinatanong ko yung kapitan na nagre-represent ng 34 na opisyal, alam mo ba kako na yung 4 na occupied territories natin sa KIG (Kalayaan Island Group) ay lampas sa ating exclusive economic zone? Hindi niya masagot yun,” Marcoleta said.</p><p>“Tapos tinatanong ko, kaya ko nasabi yun, kaya kita tinatanong dahil nga kako sa napakahirap talaga yung kung paano natin lalagyan ng hangganan yung West Philippine Sea base sa mga batas nating ginawa,” he continued. </p><p>“Yung mga legal obstacles galing na rin dun sa mga artikulo ng UNCLOS. At yung iba pa nga ay galing na rin dun mismo sa award. So sabi ko talagang imposible. ‘Alam mo Kapitan, para magawa mo yan, you will give up, para madali ang gawain mo, you will have to give up the KIG.’ Parang ganun. Or yung ibang features na ating ino-occupy. So yung pinag-uusapan dito is a theoretical scenario.”</p><p>Marcoleta maintained that he was not suggesting giving up the KIG.</p><p>He then said he was asking Pilar what political or economic gain would come out of the use of a caricature of Chinese President Xi Jinping by Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela.</p><p>“Sabi niya (Pilar), we will fight for what is legally ours. So itong salitaan na ito, ini-splice ni Senator Ping,” Marcoleta claimed last Friday. “Tapos idinugtong niya yung ‘We will fight for whatever is’…na para bang yun ang sinagot niya sa akin.”</p><p>“At pagkatapos, isinama niya yung kanyang sariling conversation doon, ‘I congratulate you for standing up to the questioning of Senator Marcoleta.’ Tapos ipinakita niya yung mga reel, mga stills nung siya’y nangangampanya ng 2022, nandun pala siya sa Kalayan Group. So anong intention bakit hindi po ang tunay na pangyayari ang ipakita natin sa tao? Bakit merong parang panlilinlang? Hindi parang eh, panlilinlang talaga,” Marcoleta remarked.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/17/marcoleta-says-no-need-to-sue-carpio-for-treason-i-pronounce-you-guilty-1456">Marcoleta says no need to sue Carpio for treason: ‘I pronounce you guilty’</a></div><p>In a post on X, Lacson said he has gotten word of a possible ethics complaint against him. He denied splicing any video.</p><p>“Reports have reached me that a fellow senator has threatened to file an ethics complaint against me for supposedly splicing a video taken during a CA confirmation hearing. Paano ba mag-splice ng video? I have no idea. Please teach me,” Lacson said.</p><p>He added, “What’s happening? Kakasuhan daw si ex Justice Carpio ng treason, wala namang giyera; kakasuhan daw ako for splicing a video, hindi naman ako marunong mag-splice.”</p><p>There is no date yet as to when Marcoleta will file the possible ethics complaint.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bIw7f9CH2So?si=L79IWYb5oBpxbEk7" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Marcoleta said he has already drafted an ethics complaint against a colleague he accused of spreading a "false narrative".</p>

Marcoleta said he has already drafted an ethics complaint against a colleague he accused of spreading a "false narrative".

Marcoleta readies ethics complaint vs. fellow senator

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Marcoleta readies ethics complaint vs. fellow senator

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 17, 2026 05:38 PM PHT

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Updated February 17, 2026 06:38 PM PHT

Read More:

rodante marcoleta

ping lacson

ethics complaint

kalayaan island group

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