Sec. Remulla: No warrant issued vs. Sen. Marcoleta

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Sunday said there is no warrant of arrest against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who recently claimed he had received information that a warrant could soon be issued against him.

“No case filed against him (Sen. Marcoleta),” Remulla told the Daily Tribune, noting that charges must first be filed before a warrant can be issued.

“For a warrant to occur, a charge must be filed against him at the Sandiganbayan. I know of no such charges being filed,” the DILG chief said.

Marcoleta on Friday said he would not resist arrest after allegedly receiving information that a warrant could soon be issued in connection with plunder and indirect bribery complaints stemming from his reported non-disclosure of campaign funds from former Quezon City Rep. Mike Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray.

“Nabalitaan ko na. Nabalitaan ko na, kaya nga ako nagpapahayag ngayon. Kung saka-sakali pong ituloy nila ang pag-aresto sa akin, ako po ay sasama sa kanila peacefully. Ibig sabihin, I will not resist. Sapagkat tungkulin po yun ng arresting officer. Alam ko naman po yung tuntunin kung paano ka aarestuhin. Eh talagang ganyan,” Marcoleta said in a television interview.

The senator maintained that the complaints against him were politically motivated.

“Ako naman ay dahil sa ginawa kong pakikipaglaban tungkol sa katwiran at sa umiiral na batas, kung ito ang magiging kabayaran ng pagtatanggol ko sa ating bansa, sa ating mga kababayan, eh nasa kanila po yun. Wala akong alam na aking nilabag na batas. Yung pong kanilang mga asunto ay puro imbento yun,” Marcoleta said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it has not received any warrant of arrest against the senator.

“The issuance of warrants is a matter within the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts, and it would be improper for us to publicly disclose such information,” PNP Public Information Office officer-in-charge Col. Allen Rae Co said.

“What we can assure the public is that the PNP will always implement and execute any warrant issued by a competent court, through proper legal channels and in accordance with the law,” Co added.