The Office of the Ombudsman has accused former Sagip party-list representative and now Senator Rodante Marcoleta of unjustly enriching himself by accepting an unconscionable P75 million gift from three individuals in January 2025. The allegation was made as the Ombudsman sought a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) from the Sandiganbayan against Marcoleta, former Anakalusugan party-list representative Mike Defensor, and businessmen Joseph Varias Espiritu and Aristotle Baluyut Viray.
Ombudsman's Allegations
According to the Ombudsman, Marcoleta took advantage of his official position as a congressman and the influence he wielded to unjustly enrich himself at the expense of the Filipino people. The Ombudsman earlier recommended filing plunder and indirect bribery charges against Marcoleta and three others over alleged undisclosed campaign donations amounting to P75 million received during the 2025 election period. The respondents allegedly violated laws prohibiting public officials from receiving gifts.
Prosecutors detailed that Marcoleta allegedly received the following amounts: P30 million on January 6, 2025; P25 million on January 8, 2025; and P20 million on January 9, 2025. The Ombudsman claimed the money was not properly declared in Marcoleta’s 2025 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) or in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (Soce) for the 2025 senatorial elections. Additionally, the donor’s taxes were paid only in December 2025, months after the alleged donations, violating Section 103 (B) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 (NIRC).
Legal Violations
The Ombudsman stated that the three private individuals connived to conceal the real purpose of the gift and belatedly filed the donor's tax return as a mere afterthought. It also recommended charging Marcoleta with three counts of indirect bribery for accepting gifts given by virtue of his position or influence as a public officer.
In a Senate privilege speech, Marcoleta denied the accusation, calling the complaints politically motivated and intended to intimidate dissenting voices in government.
