Photo courtesy of the Office of the Ombudsman.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta, former Anakalusugan party-list representative Michael ‘Mike’ Defensor and two other individuals will be facing plunder charges as the Office of the Ombudsman is set to file the complaints before the Sandiganbayan within the week.
Marcoleta, also a former member of the House of Representatives as party-list congressman, will be charged over his failure to declare ₱75 million in campaign donations, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin ‘Boying’ Remulla.
On May 18, the Ombudsman’s field investigators filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against the senator and Defensor as well with Joseph Espirutu and Aristotle Viray, alleging that Marcoleta’s acceptance of donations on three separate occasions when he was still a congressman constituted the crime of plunder.
“Aside from the lack of a clear purpose or pending transaction for which the amounts received may be a consideration, there is no showing that the gifts would still be given were it not for respondent’s position on government. Hence it cannot be denied that the ₱75 million was given by respondents Defensor, Espirutu and (Aristotle) Viray by reason of respondent Marcoleta’s office,” the investigators cited.
Aside from plunder, Marcoleta also faces charges of indirect bribery and violations of Presidential Decree 46, which prohibits gift-giving to public officers.
However, both Defensor and Marcoleta have denied the charges.
The former Sagip party-list representative disclosed in a post on Facebook that the complaint was “without evidence of public injury, official favor, corrupt consideration, or abuse of office.”
On the other hand, Defensor pointed out that “there was no illegal act, no corrupt transaction, no favor sought and absolutely no conspiracy to commit any crime” with regards to the accusation laid against him.
But the investigators cited donor’s tax returns and deposit slips in saying that Marcoleta received ₱30 million on January 6, 2025 from Defensor and ₱25 million on January 8, 2025 from Espiritu. He then received ₱20 million on January 9, 2025 from Viray.