Rodante Marcoleta arrested following Sandiganbayan warrant for plunder

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta has been arrested for non-bailable plunder charges over his undeclared P75 million in campaign donations.

The senator surrendered on July 6 after the Sandiganbayan 3rd Division served an arrest warrant against him. The anti-graft court also issued an arrest warrant and precautionary hold departure order against former congressman Mike Defensor and businessmen Joseph Varias Espiritu and Aristotle Baluyut Viray.

Marcoleta was at the Sandiganbayan 3rd Division on Monday to attend the hearing on his motion to quash the plunder case against him. However, the anti-graft court denied his motion, as it had determined there was probable cause.

"He was here today. It was an act of good faith, and it's in effect a surrender to the jurisdiction of the court," Marcoleta's legal counsel said.

For his part, Marcoleta told reporters that he would face the arrest warrant against him.

"Kagaya ng sinabi ko sa inyo, ako ay hindi magtatago, haharapin ko ang batas, ang asunto sang-ayon sa pagkakaintindi ko sa batas," he said.

"Kaya kailangan po dumaan ang proseso, kasama na po 'yung pagpunta ko rito, 'yung hangarin ko na kung i-serve nila 'yung warrant of arrest, tatanggapin ko." 

Marcoleta will be committed to the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas while court proceedings take place. To recall, this is where Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former Sen. Bong Revilla are detained.

Meanwhile, Defensor released a video statement on Facebook slamming the issuance of the arrest warrant.

"Kami na lumalaban sa korapsyon ang nauna pang nakulong sa isang kasong walang batayan," he claimed. "Sa amin pong pagkakulong, ay hindi na po kami makakapagsalita sa korapsyon na gusto lang naman namin ay lumabas ang katotohanan."