Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga

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/178572554154412 (6).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and his co-accused businessman Aristotle Viray are set to be arraigned before the Sandiganbayan First Division for charges of violating Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts. <em>Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN News</em><br/></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on Monday refused to enter a plea before the Sandiganbayan First Division on charges of violating Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts, as he awaits a resolution on his pending motions before the Supreme Court.</p><p>The court, chaired by Associate Justice Maria Mendoza-Arcega, entered a not guilty plea on Marcoleta’s behalf.</p><p>His co-accused, businessman Aristotle Viray, pleaded not guilty to the same charge.</p><p>Marcoleta’s lawyer Moises Tolentino Jr. said they had asked the high tribunal to review the Office of the Ombudsman’s resolution charging the senator with plunder and violation of PD 46.</p><p>“We are challenging the resolution of the … Ombudsman … precisely why the accused refused to enter a plea,” Tolentino said in an ambush interview.</p><p>Asked if the petition seeks to reverse the Ombudsman’s resolution and dismiss the case, Tolentino said those are among the usual prayers made in such petitions.</p><p>Marcoleta and Viray earlier pleaded not guilty for their plunder case before the court’s Third Division, along with former lawmaker Mike Defensor and businessman Joseph Espiritu over the alleged nondeclaration of P75 million in campaign donations.</p><p>The court’s Third Division has yet to schedule their bail hearings. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/6/marcoleta-arrest-plunder-1023">Marcoleta arrested for non-bailable plunder case</a></div><div><br/></div><div><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/ZA7beJErOyY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The court, chaired by Associate Justice Maria Mendoza-Arcega, entered a not guilty plea on Marcoleta’s behalf.</p>

The court, chaired by Associate Justice Maria Mendoza-Arcega, entered a not guilty plea on Marcoleta’s behalf.

Marcoleta refuses to enter plea for raps on receiving gifts due to pending SC motion

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Marcoleta refuses to enter plea for raps on receiving gifts due to pending SC motion

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 03, 2026 10:58 AM PHT

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