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Philippine police separately arrest senator Rodante Marcoleta and three co-accused, including former party-list representative Mike Defensor, after an anti-graft court orders thei
Confirmed
In Short: Philippine police arrested Senator Rodante Marcoleta and three co-accused, including former party-list representative Mike Defensor, after an anti-graft court ordered their arrest for receiving undisclosed campaign contributions.
Philippine police arrested Senator Rodante Marcoleta and three co-accused, including former party-list representative Mike Defensor, after an anti-graft court ordered their arrest for receiving undisclosed campaign contributions. Marcoleta, a 72-year-old lawyer, said they should respect the court’s decision. The Office of the Ombudsman filed a plunder charge against Marcoleta for receiving 75 million pesos from three supporters, which he did not declare in his assets statement.
Two of the donors, including Defensor, were also arrested, along with businessman Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray. Marcoleta identified Defensor, Espiritu, and Viray as his friends who donated the respective amounts of 30 million, 20 million, and 25 million pesos. The Sandiganbayan, a special anti-graft court, found probable cause to believe that the accused committed the offense charged.
In a separate development, Ronald dela Rosa, a third senator and ally of the Duterte administration, has gone into hiding after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest as a co-perpetrator in the former president's anti-drugs campaign. Malacañang said it does not expect the International Criminal Court to stage another rally following the senator's arrest.
The Sandiganbayan ordered Marcoleta to be committed to the New Quezon City Jail, where other senators and officials are held for similar charges. In his 10 years as a jurist, the court's practice of directly commenting to the media is unprecedented.
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- “Let’s respect that,” Marcoleta, a 72-year-old lawyer, said outside the courtroom, referring to the court’s decision to order his arrest based on a preliminary finding on his case.
- The Office of the Ombudsman, a special anti-graft prosecutor, said it filed the plunder charge against Marcoleta last week for receiving 75 million pesos ($1.2 million) in what were supposed to be campaign…
- Two of the three donors, including former House of Representatives member Mike Defensor, also were arrested Monday, according to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
- A third senator and loyal ally of the Dutertes, Ronald dela Rosa, has gone into hiding after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest as a co-perpetrator of the former president in the…
- Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Karl Miranda, Third Division chair, also ordered the arrest of former Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray, in connection with the…
- According to Remulla, the senator’s coaccused Defensor and Espiritu were also arrested later that day.
- Marcoleta said he went to the Sandiganbayan in accordance with due process.
- “The Sandiganbayan said they already determined probable cause, so they issued a warrant of arrest; we respect that,” he told reporters.