Jamaine Punzalan

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta joins plenary session, May 11, 2026. Wendell Alinea,  Senate Social Media Unit

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<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/178280585938020260512-senate-coup-marcoleta-SSMU2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Rodante Marcoleta joins plenary session, May 11, 2026. Wendell Alinea,  Senate Social Media Unit</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman denied Tuesday that the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/marcoleta-condemns-possible-filing-of-plunder-raps-against-him-1353">looming plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta </a>was politically-motivated and asserted that the lawmaker himself gave evidence for the legal woes tied to his election campaign fund.</p><p>“Marami kasi kaming pina-file na mga kaso sa mga public officials at kadalasan, ‘yan po talaga ang nagiging sagot nila: na pini-persecute sila, na it’s about politics. But the facts will speak for themselves,” Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said. </p><p>“And when you read the case and you listen to the admission, you listen to the interviews, you will see that the case is quite clearcut. Kaya it’s hard to see kung saan po nanggagaling si Sen. Marcoleta dito dahil…yung ebidensya mismo na ginamit ng ating mga imbestigador ay nanggaling din po sa kanya,” he said in a press conference.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/marcoleta-condemns-possible-filing-of-plunder-raps-against-him-1353">Marcoleta condemns possible filing of plunder raps vs him: &#x27;Planado po ito&#x27;</a></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/lDKFUoCZzKQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>The Office of the Ombudsman said Monday it would file a plunder case against Marcoleta and former lawmaker Michael Defensor over the non-disclosure of P75 million in campaign donations.</p><p>Marcoleta previously 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><div><br/></div><div><strong>ROMUALDEZ CASE</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>The Office of the Ombudsman denied that it was singling out Marcoleta. </p><p>“Hindi po totoo iyan dahil yung kaso po ni former Speaker Martin Romualdez is getting stronger by the day,” Clavano said. </p><p>He said the Ombudsman was eyeing former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan as a state witness “for that case specifically.” </p><p>“Yung budget ng DPWH, yung budget ni Secretary Manny Bonoan, yun po ang kinalikot na budget ng House leadership at that time,” Clavano said. </p><p>“So ang corruption po kasi hindi mo ‘yan pwedeng i-penetrate galing sa labas. Kailangan mayroon ka talagang insider sa loob,” he said.</p><p>Romualdez has denied orchestrating budget insertions tied to flood control anomalies.  </p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/protesters-at-manila-rally-question-looming-marcoleta-plunder-case-1414">Marcoleta’s supporters from the Iglesia Ni Cristo </a>have questioned his looming case and trooped by the thousands along EDSA earlier Monday, snarling traffic.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/iglesia-ni-cristo-backs-marcoleta-amid-plunder-raps-questions-selective-justice-0920">Iglesia ni Cristo backs Marcoleta amid plunder raps, questions &#x27;selective justice&#x27;</a></div><p>Clavano said the protesters and the Office of the Ombudsman were “fighting for the same thing”. </p><p>“Yung nakita naming placards doon, ang battle cry nila doon ay accountability at transparency. ‘Pag nakita nyo yung presscon ni Ombudsman kahapon, marami naman po ang ibang kasong na-announce niya, kagaya ng mga contractor na matagal na namin ini-investigate, kagaya ng announcement niya kay Sec. Manny Bonoan,” Clavano said. </p><p>“Kung accountability po at transparency ang kanilang ipinaglalaban, ‘yun din po ang aming ipinaglalaban dito sa Office of the Ombudsman, na lahat ng nagkakamali ay manangot sa batas. We understand the plight, we understand what they are fighting for. But we, ourselves, are fighting for the same thing,” he added. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/-biglaan-lahat-authorities-say-iglesia-ni-cristo-rally-has-no-permit-1102">&#x27;Biglaan lahat&#x27;: Authorities say Iglesia ni Cristo rally has no permit</a><br style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial" id="isPasted"/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/traffic-snarls-hit-edsa-as-thousands-of-inc-members-gather-for-rally-1003">Traffic snarls hit EDSA as thousands of INC members gather for &#x27;emergency rally&#x27;</a><br style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/at-least-two-arrested-at-edsa-rally-police-0958">At least two arrested at EDSA rally: police</a></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/xrv6aXQhKrU?&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/B25MBw40Yzc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Office of the Ombudsman denied Tuesday that the looming plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta was politically-motivated and asserted that the lawmaker himself gave evidence for the legal woes tied to his election campaign fund.</p>

The Office of the Ombudsman denied Tuesday that the looming plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta was politically-motivated and asserted that the lawmaker himself gave evidence for the legal woes tied to his election campaign fund.

Ombudsman: Marcoleta himself gave evidence for plunder raps

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Ombudsman: Marcoleta himself gave evidence for plunder raps

Jamaine Punzalan

Published June 30, 2026 03:55 PM PHT

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Updated June 30, 2026 04:06 PM PHT

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Marcoleta

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