Sandiganbayan orders Marcoleta, Mike Defensor arrested in gift prohibition case

The Sandiganbayan's Fourth Division has ordered the arrest of Senator Rodante Marcoleta and former congressman Mike Defensor for allegedly violating Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts and private individuals from giving gifts on any occasion.

Although the anti-graft court noted that Marcoleta and Defensor are already in government custody in connection with a separate plunder case, it directed the court sheriff to serve the arrest warrants at their respective places of detention.

Defensor is being held at the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory, while Marcoleta is under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The court set bail at P30,000 for each accused and also issued hold departure orders against them.

Marcoleta and Defensor were arrested on July 6 in connection with a P75-million plunder case. The arrest warrants were issued by the Sandiganbayan's Third Division over an alleged undeclared campaign donation that Marcoleta received during his 2025 senatorial bid.

According to the Office of the Ombudsman, Marcoleta received the P75 million in three tranches:

January 6, 2025 — P30 million
January 8, 2025 — P25 million
January 9, 2025 — P20 million

The Ombudsman also said the donor's tax on the P75 million was paid only in December 2025, which prosecutors argued was belated and indicative of an attempt to conceal the transaction.

Before the plunder charges were filed, Marcoleta claimed government prosecutors were targeting him to silence dissent against the administration, particularly amid the inquiry into the alleged flood control anomalies. He maintained that the accusations were part of an effort to silence him.

In a social media post following the filing of charges, Defensor questioned the basis for the plunder case and whether the same standard was being applied equally to others.

Defensor maintained that the allegations stemmed from campaign donations and did not involve government funds.

"No favor was requested, promised, or given in exchange for any donation," he said. — VBL, GMA News