Youth group Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan criticized what it described as preferential treatment given to Sen. Rodante Marcoleta following his arrest over plunder allegations involving Php 75 million in private campaign donations.
SPARK said Marcoleta had remained at the Philippine National Police hospital in Camp Crame since he was taken into custody on July 6 instead of being transferred to a regular detention facility.
The group questioned why the senator had been allowed to receive visitors, including Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Robin Padilla, despite reports that he was suffering from symptoms of a communicable illness.
It argued that the arrangement raised concerns over whether detention rules were being applied equally to Marcoleta and other accused public officials.
SPARK also compared his situation with those of former senators Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada, as well as former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who had faced stricter detention or hospital arrest arrangements.
The group noted that Marcoleta had appeared at gatherings before his arrest, continued communicating with supporters online and was later declared fit to travel by the PNP. It claimed these circumstances weakened the justification for delaying his court transfer.
Following a Sandiganbayan order directing that Marcoleta be committed to the Quezon City Jail, SPARK said the Payatas facility had adequate provisions to hold him while the case remained pending.
The organization urged authorities to end what it called special treatment for politicians facing criminal charges and said Marcoleta should be subjected to the same detention rules as his co-accused, Mike Defensor and Joseph Espiritu.
