Senator Rodante Marcoleta. (PNA photo by Robert Alfiler)Headline: Marcoleta arraignment deferred as co-accused plead not guilty
Senator Rodante Marcoleta is not arraigned on Wednesday after the Sandiganbayan Third Division deferred the proceedings pending the resolution of his motion to quash the plunder case against him.
The senator is seeking the dismissal of the non-bailable charge before entering a plea.
Meanwhile, his co-accused, former congressman Mike Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray, appeared before the anti-graft court and pleaded not guilty.
The three denied the plunder charges during their arraignment before the Sandiganbayan.
The case stemmed from the alleged Php 75 million donation linked to Marcoleta.
Prosecutors claimed the donation was not properly declared, leading to the filing of the plunder complaint.
Marcoleta’s arraignment will proceed only after the court resolves his pending motion to quash.
The Sandiganbayan has yet to rule on whether the case against the senator will move forward.
