TIMELINE: The plunder case vs. Rodante Marcoleta over P75M campaign contributions

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday announced that a plunder charge is poised against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and a few others over P75 million in campaign contributions that weren't declared in his Statement of Campaign Expenditures after his successful run for a Senate seat in May 2025.

Aside from Marcoleta, Remulla said Marcoleta's campaign contributors will face the same case. They are former lawmaker Michael Defensor and businessmen Joseph Varias Espiritu and Aristotle Baluyut Viray.

How did the plunder information against Marcoleta come to be? See the following timeline.

October 8, 2024

Marcoleta filed his certificate of candidacy for senator.

The then-representative in the House of the SAGIP party-list, Marcoleta, filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator for the 2025 midterm elections.

He said he wanted to focus on the oversight function of Congress.

May 12, 2025

Marcoleta won a seat in the Senate in Eleksyon 2025. He placed sixth with 15,250,723 votes.

November 2025

In a television interview, Marcoleta admitted non-disclosure of some contributions in his SOCE, as requested by the donors.

The Comelec issued a show-cause order against Marcoleta for him to explain the discrepancy regarding his SALN and SOCE.

March 18, 2026

The Comelec en banc issued a resolution on the recommendation of its Political Finance and Affairs Department (PFAD) regarding its fact-finding investigation into Marcoleta’s SOCE.

The poll body terminated its probe due to lack of evidence that Marcoleta committed an election offense. The PFAD also recommended the filing of an election offense complaint against Defensor, Espiritu, and Viray before the Comelec Law Department for failure to submit a report on their contributions within 30 days after the 2025 National and Local Elections.

May 18, 2026

The Field Investigation Bureau of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon filed a complaint against Marcoleta over his receipt of P75 million from private individuals in 2025, ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.

Also included in the complaint are Marcoleta’s donors–Defensor (P30 million), Espiritu (P25 million), and Viray (P20 million). (Ombudsman complaint)

May 21, 2026

The Field Investigation Bureau-Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon ordered Marcoleta, Defensor, Espiritu, and Viray to file their respective counter-affidavits regarding the complaint within a non-extendible period of 15 days upon receipt.

May 25, 2026

The Office of the Ombudsman asked the Sandiganbayan to issue a precautionary hold departure order against Marcoleta et al. The request was raffled off to the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division.

May 26, 2026

The Sandiganbayan issued a PHDO against Marcoleta et al.

June 5, 2026

Marcoleta filed his counter-affidavit with the Office of the Ombudsman.

He “vehemently and categorically” denied committing the acts that constitute the recommended criminal charges.

June 29, 2026

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla announced that plunder charges will be filed against Marcoleta and three others before the Sandiganbayan [this week]

Marcoleta insisted he did nothing wrong and asserted that the charges were a result of his probe of the flood control scandal while serving as the chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

June 30, 2026

Protesters gathered at the People Power Monument and at the Liwasang Bonifacio. The Iglesia ni Cristo expressed suppport for Marcoleta and denounced the allegations against him. –GMA News Research and Celine Serquiña/NB, GMA News