SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday denounced the looming plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, alleging that it is aimed at intimidating government critics and divert attention from the flood control scandal.
In a statement, Cayetano said the planned charges would have a “chilling effect” on lawmakers and others seeking accountability over alleged corruption in government.
“It is clear to me that what is being done is harassment and injustice,” he said.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier said it is preparing to file non-bailable plunder and indirect bribery charges before the Sandiganbayan against Marcoleta over campaign donations amounting to P75 million. As of Wednesday, no case had yet been filed while Marcoleta has denied wrongdoing.
Marcoleta, a member of the Senate minority bloc, previously chaired the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which conducted hearings on alleged irregularities in multibillion-peso flood control projects. He was later replaced as committee chairman by Sen. Panfilo Lacson after changes in Senate leadership.
Since then, two high-profile suspects have been arrested on plunder charges, including former senator Bong Revilla, who ran for the Senate under the administration banner, and Sen. Jinggoy Estrada.
No arrest warrant yet
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police on Thursday said no arrest warrant has yet been released against Marcoleta.
Col. John Guiagui, CIDG-National Capital Region chief, issued the statement amid the loud opposition from Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), whose members, some 14,000 at its peak, trooped to People Power Monument along EDSA in Quezon City to protest the filing of plunder charges against the senator.
Marcoleta is a member of the INC and the first within the religious group to be elected as senator.
Guiagui said the CIDG is ready to implement any arrest warrant should any court issue one.
Marcoleta on Wednesday denied allegations that he accepted illegal campaign donations, describing the accusations as “fabricated” and insisting that all contributions he received complied with election laws.
