MANILA, Philippines — Following an independent medical evaluation on Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on Tuesday, doctors at the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) ruled that he was fit to stand trial, the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection (PNP-CIDG) said.
“So far so good and hihintayin na lang natin yung medical evaluation niya na ‘yung on paper, on document but as far as doon sa pag-uusap namin kanina ay fit niya na maiprisenta sa Sandiganbayan by 8:30 a.m,” Col. John Guiagui, CIDG - National Capital Region (NCR) told reporters in an interview.
(So far, so good and we will just wait for his medical evaluation on paper, ondocument, but as far as our conversations are concerned, he is fit to be resented to the Sandiganbayan by 8:30 a.m.)
Marcoleta left the PNPGH at 11:15 a.m., arrived at the PGH at around noon and came back at Camp Crame shortly at 1:33 p.m. He was on board a PNP coaster and was seen wearing handcuffs as well as an orange detainee shirt under a protective vest and a jacket.
He was also on a wheelchair as he was being brought to the coaster as a matter of hospital protocol on patients being discharged.
The CIDG NCR chief, however, said it was up to the Sandiganbayan whether Marcoleta was fit to be committed to a jail facility.
In a resolution dated July 13, 2026, the Sandiganbayan Third Division scheduled Marcoleta to appear before anti-graft court on July 15 but since his arrest on July 6, the lawmaker had been confined at the PNP General Hospital (GH) after being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and mild pneumonia. He also recorded high blood pressure.
The anti-graft court then ordered for independent medical evaluation to rule out whether his confinement at the PNP General Hospital (GH) was still necessary.
Guiagui said PNP doctors turned over Marcoleta’s medical records to PGH. All needed laboratory tests were done as well as 2D Echo, x-ray, physical and respiratory evaluations.
Apart from the PNP’s compliance to the Sandiganbayan order, the tests, Guiagui said, were done to put an end to speculations spreading online about his stay at the PNPGH.
PNP doctors on Monday said Marcoleta was “clinically stable” and “fit to travel” but the decision for his whereabouts was up to the Sandiganbayan. They however recommend that he finishes his antibiotics by July 15.
Marcoleta was arrested for plunder in connection with a P75-million campaign donation to fund his senatorial bid.
