The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday formally filed a plunder case before the Sandiganbayan against Senator Rodante Marcoleta and his co-accused over the alleged P75 million campaign donation he received during his 2025 senatorial bid.
Ombudsman representatives arrived at the Sandiganbayan on Friday morning to file the charges against Marcoleta, former Anakalusugan Party-list Representative Mike Defensor, Aristotle Viray, and Joseph Espiritu.
Based on the complaint, Defensor, Viray, and Espiritu allegedly gave Marcoleta campaign donations amounting to P30 million, P25 million, and P20 million, respectively, in January 2025 for the May 2025 national and local elections.
Marcoleta was then serving as representative of the Sagip Party-list.
Marcoleta earlier argued that the P75 million should not be treated as public funds, even if the amount exceeded the P50 million threshold for plunder under Republic Act No. 7080, or the Anti-Plunder Law.
The Ombudsman, however, cited Marcoleta’s declared net worth of P39.6 million in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, which he said he accumulated from 1992 to June 30, 2025.
In his December 2025 SALN, Marcoleta declared only P16.7 million in cash and savings.
In his counter-affidavit, Marcoleta said the campaign donations were not included in his SALN because the funds had already been spent for their intended election-related purposes before the document was prepared and executed.
State prosecutors, however, said the P75 million was also not reflected in Marcoleta’s SALN as of June 30, 2025, a finding that became one of the bases for the filing of the plunder case against him and his co-accused.
A source familiar with the case said a warrant of arrest against Marcoleta could be issued as early as next week.