Sen. Rodante Marcoleta said he is prepared to be arrested if that is the price he has to pay for what he described as his defense of truth, justice, and the public interest.
Speaking before the Iglesia ni Cristo rally in White Plains, Quezon City, on Wednesday night, Marcoleta said his conscience is clear, insisting that the funds he received before the campaign period for the 2025 midterm elections came from private individuals.
“Nakahanda po akong magpakulong kung kinakailangang maaresto po ako. Wala pong problema kung ito po ang kabayarang hinihingi para ipagtanggol ko ang katarungan at ang pambansang kagalingan at ang interes ng mamamayang Pilipino,” he said.
“Sana man lang, sana man lang may ninakaw ako. Sana man lang kasama ako sa mga mandarambong. May mga nabanggit na ang pangalan nila. Ang isa ay si Martin Romualdez, ang pinagdalhan ng male-maletang pera,” he added.
Marcoleta maintained that the plunder and indirect bribery cases expected to be filed against him were part of an attempt to silence him from disclosing the identities of those allegedly behind the flood control projects controversy.
He said the money he received before becoming a senatorial candidate was intended to support his campaign and should not be considered plunder because the funds were private.
“Ang binibintang nila sa akin ay salaping pantulong para sa kampanya para ako ay manalong senador. Mga kaibigan po na pribado at sarili nilang pera ang kanilang itinulong sa akin baka sakaling manalo po ako, at nanalo nga po,” he added.
Marcoleta said he would no longer explain the “technicality” of what he called trumped-up charges against him.
“Tignan po ninyo, kung sino pa yung nagtatanggol at tumutulong para sa ganon, matukoy natin kung sino ang may kagagawan ng pinakamalawak, pinakagarapal na pandarambong sa kaban ng bayan eh siya pa ang inaasunto at siya pa ang pinagbabalakang arestuhin,” he added.
The senator said it is the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate those allegedly responsible for the scandal, but questioned why it had focused on him.
“Hindi ba katungkulan ng Ombudsman na sila ang humanap, umusig, at parusahan ang lahat ng may kagagawan nito? Bakit ang Ombudsman ang nagagalit sa akin? Hindi ba dapat tulungan pa nila ako sapagkat iisa ang layunin namin?” he added.
In an interview with Russia Today on Wednesday, Marcoleta said the cases to be filed against him were politically motivated, adding that he was confident the charges would eventually be dismissed.
“This is a fabricated charge. It is not even within the meaning and parameters of our plunder law. Our plunder law is about amassing ill-gotten wealth. It’s a serious crime. It’s not about, you know, getting election support from friends,” he said.
“That is why I’m quite sure that this particular charge, if they pursue it, will be junked by the court in due time,” he added.
Marcoleta said he did not declare the campaign funds he received because they were given before he became a candidate in the May 2025 senatorial race.
Marcoleta served as SAGIP party-list representative from 2016 to 2025 and as Alagad party-list representative from 2004 to 2013.
He said he was being targeted because of his no-holds-barred investigation into the flood control projects scandal when he chaired the Blue Ribbon Committee, and to prevent him from participating in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which is set to start on Monday, July 6.