Philippines: Ombudsman charges Senator Marcoleta with plunder over alleged ₱75M undeclared campaign donations

Manila: The Office of the Ombudsman here has filed plunder charges before the Sandiganbayan against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on Friday over allegations that he failed to declare ₱75 million in campaign contributions he allegedly received during the 2025 senatorial elections.

Also charged were former congressman Michael Defensor and businessmen Joseph Varias Espiritu and Aristotle Baluyut Viray, who prosecutors identified as Marcoleta's campaign donors.

The three also face charges of indirect bribery and violations of laws prohibiting public officials from receiving gifts.

The case has been raffled to the Sandiganbayan's Third Division, following the anti-graft court's decision in late May to grant the Ombudsman's request for a precautionary hold departure order against all four respondents while the preliminary investigation was underway.

In its complaint, the Ombudsman alleged that Marcoleta unlawfully enriched himself by accepting what it described as an "unconscionable" ₱75 million from Defensor, Espiritu and Viray.

Prosecutors said Marcoleta publicly acknowledged during media interviews that he had received ₱75 million in campaign contributions.

However, they alleged that the amount was not declared in either his 2025 Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) filed with the Commission on Elections or his 2025 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).

At the time the donations were allegedly received, Marcoleta was serving as the representative of the Social Amelioration and Genuine Intervention on Poverty (SAGIP) Party-list in the House of Representatives.

"Respondent Marcoleta unjustly enriched himself at the expense and prejudice of the Filipino people and the Republic of the Philippines when he accepted such excessive sum of money from respondents Defensor, Viray, and Espiritu," the Ombudsman said in its complaint.

Marcoleta rejected the charges, describing them as politically motivated and an attempt to suppress independent voices in government.

"They form part of a deeper and more nefarious design — to intimidate independent voices, to punish dissent, and to warn every senator that the price of asking hard questions could lead to personal damnation," he said in a statement."

"If the intention of these cases is to silence me, let me say this at the beginning. It has failed. I will not be silenced."

Under Philippine law, plunder is committed when a public official is accused of amassing ill-gotten wealth totaling at least ₱50 million through a series of unlawful acts.

It is a non-bailable offense when evidence of guilt is strong and carries penalties that include life imprisonment and forfeiture of illegally acquired assets upon conviction.

The filing of charges before the Sandiganbayan marks the start of judicial proceedings. The court will determine whether there is sufficient basis to proceed to trial.

Under Philippine law, all accused are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.