Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Daniza Fernandez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1780540234444Screen Shot 2026-06-04 at 8.36.06 AM (3).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Rodante Marcoleta leads the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the alleged anomalous flood control projects in the country on September 8, 2025. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman said Monday it would file a plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former lawmaker Michael Defensor over the non-disclosure of P75 million in campaign donations.</p><p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the case would be lodged before the Sandiganbayan this week.</p><p>“For resolution na. We’re about to file it already,” Remulla said in a press briefing. </p><p>“Kasama sila [co-respondents]… Same forum, same jurisdiction,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/25/marcoleta-says-trumped-up-plunder-raps-meant-to-punish-dissent-1539">Marcoleta says &#x27;trumped-up&#x27; plunder raps meant to &#x27;punish dissent&#x27;</a></div><p>Marcoleta admitted in a television interview that he did not disclose campaign contributions from Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray during the 2025 midterm elections because they had wanted to remain anonymous.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/23/comelec-ready-to-coordinate-with-ombudsman-on-plunder-indirect-bribery-cases-vs-marcoleta-1658">Comelec ready to ‘coordinate’ with Ombudsman on plunder, indirect bribery cases vs. Marcoleta</a></div><p>The senator argued that since the funds were received a month before the official campaign period, they became &quot;personal funds&quot; under the Peñera doctrine, which states that a person is only considered a candidate at the start of the campaign period.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/26/marcoleta-defensor-banned-from-travelling-abroad-over-plunder-raps-1649">Sandiganbayan issues precautionary travel ban vs Marcoleta, Defensor</a></div><p>Marcoleta earlier said the Ombudsman case was intended to &quot;silence&quot; him.</p><p>The Sandiganbayan has issued a precautionary travel ban against Marcoleta and Defensor. </p><div><em></em><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TKpkHYBIda0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><em></em></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman said Monday it would file a plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former lawmaker Michael Defensor over the non-disclosure of P75 million in campaign donations.</p><p>Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said the case would be lodged before the Sandiganbayan this week.</p><p>“For resolution na. We’re about to file it already,” Remulla said in a press briefing. </p><p>“Kasama sila [co-respondents]… Same forum, same jurisdiction,” he added.</p>

<p>The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday announced it would file plunder complaints against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan.</p>

The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday announced it would file plunder complaints against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan.

Plunder case vs Marcoleta, Mike Defensor up for filing

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Plunder case vs Marcoleta, Mike Defensor up for filing

Daniza Fernandez,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 29, 2026 03:26 PM PHT

|

Updated June 29, 2026 04:19 PM PHT

Read More:

Ombudsman

plunder

rodante marcoleta

joel villanueva

crime

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