Senator Rodante Marcoleta Arrested at Sandiganbayan on Plunder Charge Hours Before Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial

Philippine police arrested Sen. Rodante Marcoleta inside the Sandiganbayan courthouse on Monday after the country’s anti-graft court issued a warrant on a plunder charge, putting a close ally of Vice President Sara Duterte in custody just hours before the Senate opened her impeachment trial.

Marcoleta, a sitting senator and former congressman, was at the court in Quezon City with his lawyers when officers from the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group served the warrant, according to Philippine media reports. The arrest was independently reported by The Associated Press and multiple local news outlets.

The case stems from a complaint filed Friday by the Office of the Ombudsman, which investigates and prosecutes misconduct by public officials. The Ombudsman alleges Marcoleta failed to disclose 75 million pesos, or about $1.2 million, in campaign donations in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures for the 2025 senatorial race. The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division issued the warrant Monday after denying motions to quash the complaint and finding probable cause, according to local reporting.

The charge also names former congressman Mike Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray as co-accused. The court also issued a precautionary hold-departure order barring Marcoleta and the others from leaving the country, Philippine outlets reported. Under Philippine law, plunder is a non-bailable offense. Marcoleta was to be processed at the court after his arrest.

Marcoleta denied wrongdoing and described the case as politically motivated, according to AP. Referring to the court’s action, he said: “Let’s respect that.”

The Sandiganbayan is the Philippines’ special anti-graft court for major corruption cases involving public officials. Under the country’s Anti-Plunder Act, the charge applies to alleged ill-gotten wealth of at least 50 million pesos and carries severe penalties if a defendant is convicted.

The timing gave the case immediate political weight. Marcoleta was expected to sit as a senator-judge as the Senate convened Monday as an impeachment court for Sara Duterte, one of his closest political allies. His arrest came only hours before those proceedings opened.

Marcoleta is a prominent figure in Philippine politics, with close ties to Sara Duterte and an association with the Iglesia ni Cristo religious group, whose supporters had staged large rallies in his favor late last month.