Sara Duterte: Nothing wrong in visiting Marcoleta, Jinggoy in jail

Vice President Sara Duterte defended Thursday her recent visit to Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta, as well as former House lawmaker Mike Defensor, in the Quezon City Jail in Payatas, saying she sees nothing wrong in visiting persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

In an interview in Davao City, Duterte said she simply told the detained lawmakers, whom she considers as “friends,” to stay strong and do what is best for the country.

“Wala akong nakikita ang masama sa pagbisita sa mga tao tulad ni PRRD at iba pang mga nasa loob ng detenton. Wala akong nakikita na masama sa pagbisita kay Arnie Tevez, kay Pastor Quiboloy, as I said, President Duterte, Senator Rodante Marcoleta, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and Mike Defensor,” the Vice President said.

(I don’t see anything wrong with visiting people like PRRD and others who are in detention. I don’t see anything wrong with visiting Arnie Tevez, Pastor Quiboloy, President Duterte, Senator Rodante Marcoleta, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and Mike Defensor.)

“Kasi kilala ko naman sila and I think kaibigan ko sila. Hindi ko lang alam kung kaibigan nila ako, pero sa tingin ko naman kaibigan ko sila,” she added.

(Because I know them and I think they are my friends. I don’t know if I am their friend but I think they are my friends.)

Duterte said that empathy and sympathy should be shown to PDLs, considering that they could no longer do what they normally do in life.

On Tuesday, the Vice President’s convoy was seen entering the premises of Quezon City Jail. Duterte stayed in the jail premises for around three hours.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) confirmed that Duterte spoke to Estrada, Marcoleta, and Defensor during her visit.

Estrada is currently facing a P537-million plunder charge in relation to the flood control scam.

Marcoleta, meanwhile, is facing a plunder case after he admitted to accepting P75 million in campaign funds while he was still a House lawmaker—an amount that he did not disclose in his statement of contributions and expenditures for the 2025 midterm elections.

Defensor is also under arrest for allegedly donating P30 million of that amount to Marcoleta. — RSJ, GMA News