Ombudsman files plunder case against Marcoleta over P75 million campaign contributions

The Office of the Ombudsman filed a plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on Friday, July 3, in connection with his nondisclosure of 2025 campaign donations amounting to P75 million.

This comes a few days after the Ombudsman announced its plan to file the raps against the senator on June 29. The charge is non-bailable.

According to the Ombudsman, by admitting to receiving the funds as donations during his 2025 campaign for a Senate seat but not declaring them in his asset statements, Marcoleta opened himself up to plunder and bribery investigations. There is currently a hold departure order against him. 

Marcoleta made the admission in a November 2025 TV interview as he looked back on his senatorial bid. "Mga kaibigan ko, nagbigay sa'kin talaga. Alam mo, ang pakiusap lang nila, isa lang: 'Tanggapin mo ang tulong namin sa'yo.' Congressman ako nu'n eh. 'Cong, kami po ay naniniwala na karapat-dapat kang makarating sa Senado. Tanggapin mo ang halagang ito,'" he told Net25.

According to Marcoleta, the donors only had one request: to keep their identities confidential.

"Kapag naglagay ako ng figure sa contribution, mapipilitan akong mag-disclose ng pangalan nila. Mayroong kaakibat na Deed of Acceptance of Donation. Paano 'yun? Contribution ito eh," he recalled. "Sabi niya, 'Binigay ko nga sa'yo, contribution, pero utang na loob mo sa'kin 'yan. Ituring mo lang na utang,' sabi niya. Utang na hindi babayaran."

"Ngayon, dahil sa hindi ko pwedeng isiwalat ang kanilang identity, kaya sinabi ko, zero 'yung contribution. Mapipilitan ako ngayon na gawing zero 'yun dahil 'pag nilagyan ko ng amount 'yun, mapipilitan na isa-isa kayong i-disclose ko ang inyong identity," he said. "Hindi naman pwedeng hindi ko gastahin 'yung ibinigay niyo sa akin kasi 'yung iba magkakakilala eh."

INC rally backing Marcoleta

The filing of the plunder case pushed through even after Iglesia Ni Cristo's three-day rally in support of Marcoleta, a prominent member of the church. It took place from June 30 to July 2.

According to the INC, the then-looming plunder charge twists the law. 

"Hindi tutol ang INC sa pagtutupad ng batas pero tutol kami sa pagbaluktot sa batas lalo na kung ang layunin ay para pagtakpan ang katiwalian," said INC spokesperson Bro. Edwil Zabala in a statement.

"Gaya ng alam ng marami, si Sen. Rodante Marcoleta nanguna sa pag-imbestiga sa isa sa pinakamalaking pandarambong na naganap sa ating kasaysayan," he added, reminding the public that Marcoleta once served as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. 

"Ang ipinagtataka namin ay kung bakit siya, na nagsusulong sa pag-expose ng mga sangkot sa napakalaking pagnanakaw sa Pilipinas, ang kakasuhan at ipakukulong sa halip na ang mga na-expose," Zabala said.

Marcoleta: 'Ang kasamaan ay hindi magtatagumpay'

In a video posted on his Facebook early morning on June 30, Marcoleta condemned the "pattern" of attacks against him. 

"Nakikita po ninyo yung pattern sa mga nagdaang araw. Mas uunahin nila yung tao na nagmamalasakit sa inyo para palitawin natin ang katotohanan. Ngunit 'yung taong nasa likod ng lahat ng kasalanang ito ng pagnanakaw, hanggang ngayon ay wala pa silang ginagawang pag-uusig," Marcoleta said.

He mentioned the pending plunder and graft complaints against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez that the Ombudsman announced were being prepared in April 2026 in connection with Romualdez's alleged kickbacks from flood control projects.

Marcoleta added how former Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who was arrested for plunder also in connection to the flood control scam, is being eyed as a state witness. 

"Wala na po tayong kakampi. Ang kasalanan ko lamang 'yung paglingkuran kayo, kung kasalanan pong matatawag 'yan, na humarap sa kanila nang buong tapang para sa ganu'n ay malaman ninyo ang totoo," Marcoleta continued. 

"Ngunit kapag ako'y kanilang inaresto, hindi na po matutuloy 'yan," he added, saying "they" were also hoping that with his looming arrest, he would no longer be able to participate in the upcoming impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, which is set to begin on July 6. 

Marcoleta also speculated that it seemed Sen. Ping Lacson had an idea of what was going to happen when Lacson warned about nine more senators being arrested and jailed some weeks ago.

"Alam kong gagawin nila ito. Alam kong aarestuhin nila ako. Alam kong ikukulong nila ako. Ngunit hindi po dahilan 'yan para tumigil ako sa paglilingkod sa inyo," he said. 

"Maliit na bagay po ang sakripisyo na aking haharapin kung ang katumbas nito'y maipakita natin ang kahalagahan ninyo bilang mamayan ng ating bansa," he continued. 

The senator accused the Ombudsman of spearheading the campaign against Marcoleta. He recalled a colleague in the Senate supposedly saying, "Sometimes we have to bend the law," to which the Ombudsman allegedly agreed.

"Huwag po tayong pumayag na ganu'n ang mangyari," Marcoleta said. 

"Naniniwala po ako na kahit sa anong laban, lalo na 'yung laban na para sa interes ng ating bansa, kinakasihan tayo ng ating Panginoong Diyos," he added. "Kailanman ang kasamaan ay hindi magtatagumpay."