Jamaine Punzalan

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta joins a special session at the Senate of the Philippines on June 17, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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SENATE COMMISSION on APPOINTMENTS

Karen De Guzman

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/178348579094320260617-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">Sen. Rodante Marcoleta joins a special session at the Senate of the Philippines on June 17, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senator Rodante Marcoleta has been diagnosed with mild pneumonia and remains unfit for travel as doctors continue to monitor his fluctuating blood pressure, the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital said Wednesday.</p><p>PNP General Hospital Internal Medicine Department chief Lt. Col. Belany Bayani said chest X-ray results showed that Marcoleta has mild pneumonia and cardiomegaly or an enlarged heart, while imaging of his cervical spine revealed degenerative disc disease.</p><p>“‘May pneumonia si Senator Marcoleta by chest x-ray pero siyempre hypertensive si Sen. Marcoleta, expected na cardiomegaly makikita natin by x-ray. Sa edad po niya at saka doon sa fluctuating blood pressure niya, hindi po maganda para sa kanya ‘yun,” Bayani said. </p><p>Despite the findings, Bayani said the 72-year-old senator was clinically stable and was no longer complaining of the chest pain and nape pain that prompted his hospitalization.</p><p>“Wala pong critical condition si Sen. Marcoleta, ‘yun lang po sa BP po niya, kailangan nating i-monitor kasi fluctuating po talaga ‘yung BP niya,” she added. </p><p>Marcoleta&#x27;s blood pressure reached 160/90, which Bayani said falls under Stage 2 hypertension.</p><p>She said stress could have contributed to the increase in his blood pressure, although the senator had long been hypertensive and had been taking maintenance medication.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1443897254547611%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Doctors are still awaiting the results of Marcoleta&#x27;s 2D echocardiogram and blood chemistry tests, which are expected later Wednesday or by Thursday.</p><p>Until then, Bayani said Marcoleta was not fit for travel and it was still too early to determine when he could be discharged from the hospital.</p><p>“Kapag nakumpleto na natin ‘yung maging maintained na po ‘yung blood pressure niya and okay na siya, wala naman po problema na ilabas natin si Sen. Marcoleta,” she said. </p><p>Meanwhile, the PNP said it had returned Marcoleta&#x27;s warrant of arrest to the Sandiganbayan shortly after he was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/6/marcoleta-arrest-plunder-1023">arrested on Monday.</a></p><p>PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the court had been informed that Marcoleta was already under police custody but could not yet be physically transferred because of his medical condition.</p><p>“Kasi sabi ng doktor medyo mataas, baba-taas, mahirap naman pagdala doon madisgrasya. Of course we need to preserve, protect the life,” Nartatez said. </p><p>PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said the Sandiganbayan had issued a commitment order, but it would only be implemented once Marcoleta is declared fit for travel.</p><p>“It is improbable that it will be today as I was informed by the Health Service na hindi pa po siya fit for travel at marami pa nga pong tests and hinihintay pa ‘yung results naman nung tests na nagawa na sa kanya na kailangan pa pong gawin,” Co said.</p><p>Marcoleta&#x27;s wife Edna Marcoleta visited him at the PNP General Hospital on Wednesday morning. </p><p>On Tuesday, Vice President Sara Duterte also visited the detained senator, who is considered a political ally.</p><p>Marcoleta was arrested Monday on plunder charges and remains under police custody at the PNP General Hospital while undergoing further medical evaluation.</p><div><em></em></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/6/marcoleta-arrest-plunder-1023">Cayetano vows to visit Marcoleta after arrest </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/marcoleta-s-third-co-accused-shows-up-at-sandiganbayan-for-return-of-warrant-1102">Marcoleta’s third co-accused shows up at Sandiganbayan for return of warrant </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/vp-duterte-visits-detained-sen-marcoleta-after-plunder-arrest-0915">VP Duterte visits Sen. Marcoleta after plunder arrest </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/KCfyFhfqvXE?&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/aIqIA-cIDiA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/vp-duterte-visits-detained-sen-marcoleta-after-plunder-arrest-0915"></a><em><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/vp-duterte-visits-detained-sen-marcoleta-after-plunder-arrest-0915"><em></em></a> <strong></strong></em></div>

<p>Sen. Rodante Marcoleta's chest X-ray revealed that he had mild pneumonia, in addition to hypertension, the PNP General Hospital said Wednesday.</p>

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta's chest X-ray revealed that he had mild pneumonia, in addition to hypertension, the PNP General Hospital said Wednesday.

Marcoleta has mild pneumonia, still unfit for transfer — PNP hospital

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Marcoleta has mild pneumonia, still unfit for transfer — PNP hospital

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 08, 2026 12:46 PM PHT

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Updated July 08, 2026 01:55 PM PHT

Read More:

Marcoleta

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Sen. Rodante Marcoleta

Edna Marcoleta

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