Senator Rodante Marcoleta – Photo courtesy of Avito Dalan/Philippine News Agency.
The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday has postponed the arraignment and pretrial of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and his three co-accused in their plunder case.
The proceedings, which were set for July 10, were cancelled because of pending motions before the court.
Sandiganbayan Third Division Clerk of Court Dennis Pulma said Marcoleta, former Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor and businessman Joseph Espiritu had filed separate motions to quash the case.
Businessman Aristotle Viray, another co-accused, filed a motion for bail before the antigraft court.
The plunder case stemmed from the alleged Php 75 million campaign donation received by Marcoleta while he was still a party-list lawmaker.
State prosecutors alleged that the amount was not declared in Marcoleta’s financial and campaign disclosures.
Pulma said the court has yet to set a new date for the arraignment and pretrial, where the accused will be asked to enter their pleas.
The court issued arrest warrants against Marcoleta and his co-accused on Monday. Defensor, Espiritu and Viray have since been detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas, while Marcoleta remained hospitalized due to chest pains and elevated blood pressure.