NEWS

Marcoleta pleads not guilty to plunder raps

Jerod Orcullo · Jul 23, 2026, 1:02 AM

Marcoleta battles plunder rap Senator Rodante Marcoleta arrives at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City on 22 July 2026, for his arraignment on charges of plunder and violation of Presidential Decree 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts and private individuals from giving them. Marcoleta pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from the alleged receipt of a P75-million donation during his senatorial campaign. — PHOTOGRAPH by Analy Labor for DAILY TRIBUNE

Senator Rodante Marcoleta entered a not guilty plea on his case of plunder under the Sandiganbayan Third Division concerning his supposed receipt of P75 million in campaign donations before the 2025 national elections.

Before the pleading, his legal counsel informed the anti-graft court that they would withdraw a motion to quash that was earlier filed but remained unresolved.

A motion to quash seeks to deem an information, case, or proceeding null or void on the premise that it was improperly issued or the means to obtain it were legally flawed.

Given the sudden development, Associate Justice Karl Miranda sought clarification on whether the withdrawal was properly consulted with Marcoleta and whether it was freely decided.

The senator proceeded to confirm with Miranda that the decision was voluntary, while his lawyers said that the same was thoroughly consulted with the other respondents of the plunder charge.

Counsel seeks swift process

Marcoleta’s legal counsel explained that withdrawing their motion was meant to expedite the process and to reach a speedy disposition of the case given that their sought remedy was being stalled.

“We withdrew it so the trial will proceed,” one of his lawyers said.

During the same hearing, Marcoleta and businessman Joseph Espiritu pleaded not guilty to a violation of Presidential Decree 46 that also stemmed from the aforementioned donations.

It marked just one of the three counts of the gift-giving case that the senator has before the Sandiganbayan, with two separate cases involving his donors identified as former congressman Mike Defensor and businessman Aristotle Viray in different courts.