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MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has asked the Sandiganbayan to prevent Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, former congressman Mike Defensor and two others from leaving the country after they were indicted for plunder and other charges over the P75-million campaign donation the senator received prior to his election in 2025.
Aside from Marcoleta and Defensor, the ombudsman has also asked the Sandiganbayan to restrain Aristotle Baluyut Viray and Joseph Varias Espiritu from traveling abroad through a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO).
The application was ex parte or filed by one party, depriving the other party of the chance to respond, according to online resources. The anti-graft court’s Seventh Division was assigned to tackle the PHDO application.
Earlier, the ombudsman recommended the filing of charges against Marcoleta and the others for violation of Republic Act 7080 or plunder and Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts.
The ombudsman recommended charges of indirect bribery against Marcoleta.
He was investigated by the Commission on Elections, which cleared him and found Defensor, Viray and Espiritu liable for election offenses related to campaign contributions.
Marcoleta had admitted receiving P75 million worth of donations – P30 million from Defensor, P25 million from Espiritu and P20 million from Viray – for his campaign for senator in last year’s national polls.
Ombudsman investigators said the amount received by Marcoleta surpassed the limit for plunder charges at P50 million, and that it was not indicated in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) submitted to the Senate.
In a privilege speech yesterday, Marcoleta voiced his belief the Marcos administration can have him put behind bars, as he declared the plunder complaint against him was intended to silence his voice of dissent.
‘They will not win’
Marcoleta called the complaint filed by the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon a “warning shot fired at those who refuse to kneel.”
He linked the timing of the charges to his active role in the Senate’s investigation on anomalous flood control projects and the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, framing the case as an attempt to frighten independent voices into submission.
“I’m saying this, they can imprison me, they can arrest me, but I tell them, they still will not win. Itaga nila yun sa bato,” he said.
Defending himself against the allegations, Marcoleta vowed he would not be intimidated into dropping the flood control probe or surrendering his independent vote in the upcoming impeachment court.
Defensor, for his part, expressed confidence that they would be cleared.
He told “Storycon” on One News yesterday that missing former Marine Orly Guteza would soon surface and face the Blue Ribbon committee anew together with other former soldiers who have testified against former speaker Martin Romualdez and resigned congressman Zaldy Co.
Jinggoy, Marcoleta join Blue Ribbon
Marcoleta and other senators entangled in flood control anomalies would be joining the Blue Ribbon committee, as the panel seeks to resume its probe on the multibillion-peso public works scam.
Marcoleta and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada were elected yesterday as vice chairmen of the committee, placing them in key oversight positions in the flood control investigation.
Marcoleta has been criticized for his alleged cozy ties with contractor couple Sara and Curlee Discaya– both of whom are in detention for their alleged involvement in flood control corruption.
He also faced criticism for allegedly protecting former public works secretary Manuel Bonoan during a Senate probe. When Bonoan resigned, Marcoleta excused him from hearings and allowed him to just send a deputy, drawing objections from Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
During the third hearing – Marcoleta’s last as committee chairman before being replaced by Sen. Panfilo Lacson – Bonoan was entirely removed from the witness list. Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral represented the agency instead.
Estrada, meanwhile, is facing charges for allegedly receiving kickbacks from flood control projects in Bulacan.
Fellow majority senators Francis Escudero, Mark Villar, Bong Go – who were also tied to flood control allegations – were named members of the panel. They were joined by Senators Robinhood Padilla, Imee Marcos and Camille Villar.
The 11-member minority has yet to send its contingent to the anti-graft panel. Sen. Pia Cayetano was elected Blue Ribbon chairperson last week.
