Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Senators convene in their capacity as members of the Commission on Appointments for the 20th Congress during a special session at the Senate of the Philippines on June 17, 2026. The body reviewed and confirmed key appointments made by the President to various government posts. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News.

Article (news)

SENATE COMMISSION on APPOINTMENTS

Bea Cuadra

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/178278183042620260617-special-senate-session-commission-appoinment-marcoleta-MT11.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senators convene in their capacity as members of the Commission on Appointments for the 20th Congress during a special session at the Senate of the Philippines on June 17, 2026. The body reviewed and confirmed key appointments made by the President to various government posts. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News.</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on Tuesday showed its support to Senator Rodante Marcoleta after the Office of the Ombudsman announced it would be filing plunder charges against the lawmaker in the coming days.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/29/ombudsman-to-file-plunder-raps-vs-sen-rodante-marcoleta-1526">Plunder case vs Marcoleta, Mike Defensor up for filing</a></div><p>Following reports of crowds gathering at EDSA White Plains in Quezon City and Liwasang Bonifacio, INC spokesperson Edwin Zabala was questioned on the sudden mobilization of citizens, including members of INC.</p><p>When asked, &quot;Ka Edwin... Ito pong pagdagsa ng mga tao sa White Plains, sa Quezon City, at meron ding nakita dyan sa Liwasang Bonifacio, ang iba po inatanong na sila daw po pala ay member ng Iglesia Ni Cristo. Ano po bang dahilan? Bakit nagtungo doon ang ilan nating kababayan at kasama ang mga member ng INC?&quot;</p><p>Zabala firmly declared the religious group&#x27;s support to Marcoleta, strongly questioning the plunder charges to be filed against him that could lead to his immediate imprisonment without bail.</p><p>&quot;Hindi tutol ang Iglesia ni Cristo sa pagpapatupad ng batas, pero tutol kami sa pagbaluktot sa batas, lalo na kung ang layunin ay para pagtakpan ang katiwalian,&quot; Zabala said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/religious-group-holds-emergency-rally-at-edsa-disrupts-morning-rush-hour-0836">Religious group holds &#x27;emergency rally&#x27; at EDSA, disrupts morning rush hour</a></div><p>Zabala said Marcoleta previously led a legislative investigation into one of the largest corruption scandals in Philippines during his tenure as the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.</p><p>“Subalit, pinalitan ng liderato ng komiting ito. Gayunpaman, itinuloy niya ang paghahanap ng hustisya para sa atin na mga mamamayan,” Zabala said.</p><p>Because plunder is a non-bailable offense, Marcoleta faces detention for the entire duration of his trial. </p><p>Zabala also questioned the legal basis of the charge, pointing out that the case revolves around campaign contributions rather than stolen public funds, and noted that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) had already cleared the senator of any wrongdoing.</p><p>&quot;Pero, paanong naging plunder ang pagtanggap ng campaign donation o campaign contribution? Hindi naman galing sa kabangyaman ng Pilipinas ang tinanggap niyang donation mula sa mga sumuporta sa kanyang pagkandidato bilang senador. At mismong ang Comelec ay naglabas na ng desisyon na walang krimen na naganap sa pagtanggap niya ng campaign donation,&quot; Zabala stated.</p><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><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><p>Marcoleta earlier said the Ombudsman case was intended to &quot;silence&quot; him.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><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/ZA7beJErOyY?&amp;t=49s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/jHnt2TfrR18?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on Tuesday showed its support to Senator Rodante Marcoleta after the Office of the Ombudsman announced it would be filing plunder charges against the lawmaker in the coming days.</p>

The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on Tuesday showed its support to Senator Rodante Marcoleta after the Office of the Ombudsman announced it would be filing plunder charges against the lawmaker in the coming days.

Iglesia ni Cristo backs Marcoleta amid plunder raps, questions 'selective justice'

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Iglesia ni Cristo backs Marcoleta amid plunder raps, questions 'selective justice'

Bea Cuadra,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 30, 2026 09:20 AM PHT

Read More:

INC

Zabala

Marcoleta

iglesia ni cristo

rodante marcoleta

plunder

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