Malacañang said Monday that Sen. Rodante Marcoleta should address questions about his wife’s supposed ties to Pacifico and Sarah Discaya amid allegations of conflict of interest.
Mrs. Edna Marcoleta was reportedly listed as an officer of Milestone Guaranty and Assurance, which issued a ₱19.29-million bond for a ₱192.9-million flood control project of the Discayas.
“Ang mas magandang makakasagot niyan ay si Sen. Marcoleta,” Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told reporters.
“Hindi natin batid ang lalim ng sinasabing koneksyon at kung gaano kalalim din ang relasyon niya sa mga Discaya so hayaan na lang natin na si Sen. Marcoleta ang sumagot,” she added.
In a Facebook post, SAGIP Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta clarified that his mother “is not a co-owner, not a regular/inside director but an INDEPENDENT director of Stronghold Insurance.”
“[A]n independent director is not an employee of the company, has no such material ties, no substantial shares, no hand in sales and marketing activities, no significant professional relationships with the company or its stakeholders,” he explained.
Sen. Marcoleta has been pushing to make the Discayas state witnesses despite their admission of colluding with lawmakers and officials in a kickback scheme.
Several senators opposed the move, citing the couple’s conflicting testimonies and refusal to fully cooperate in congressional hearings. Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairperson Panfilo Lacson earlier questioned why Marcoleta repeatedly defended the Discayas, but the senator denied the allegation.
