He said he was willing to go to jail if there was an arrest warrant, Marcoleta said. Senator Bato de la Rosa said the same before the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest.
The conversation was hot among the crowd of street stars last week. There are many things that are perfect in our country. But the event that caused high pressure for many people, and not only for people like me, is that “surprise” meeting of members of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) Tuesday, June 30.
It is true that we have the right to express our feelings and grievances to the world. That is guaranteed by our Constitution. Even if we have different opinions, everyone has the same right to express them.
But no right is unlimited. Each right has associated responsibilities. For example, in revealing your feelings, you should not be criticized by your partner. Then – and I think most importantly – don’t break the rules.
Around 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, news popped up in my social media feed that the crowd at the People Power Tower was increasing. According to a GMA News reporter, these are INC members and the buses arrive at the corner of EDSA and White Plains Avenue in Quezon City.
The reporter tried to ask what they were doing. Together they shouted: “No one will answer! No one will answer!” Later, the author asked again; The group shouted again: “We only have coffee! We only drink coffee!” The author continued; he shouted at the same time: “We’re just running! We’re just running.”
At first I laughed at what I thought was the group’s rudeness. But when there was no way to pass EDSA because the group blocked it, many people got angry. Raising the blood pressure of those who were supposed to go to work but were stuck on EDSA only to find out that there is no permit for such inconvenience.
At first, it seems like good governance and transparency is what they say the goal of the move is. Shortly after, the INC admitted that the move was in support of Senator Rodante Marcoleta who will face charges of looting. Marcoleta, a member of the INC, is The Ombudsman opened a case of looting on Friday, July 3.
Before I delve into the Marcoleta case, I will just tell you about the grievances of our “victims” group of the INC blockade on EDSA. We think that step is very hypocritical. They are clamoring for the law to be passed, saying that its implementation should be fair. But the method they used was against the law. Then they want the government to follow the law, but they are preventing the opening of the plunder case against Marcoleta.
Marcoleta went on stage and spoke to fellow INC members who attended the meeting. Apart from his gratitude, he said he is not a gangster and did not steal from the public treasury.
What the Ombudsman charged Marcoleta with was looting and “three counts of alleged violations of Presidential Decree No. 46 (receiving gifts).” This is because he said in his sworn statement to the Election Commission, and he repeated in several interviews with the media, that he received a monetary gift worth P75 million.
Because it was not a campaign period. he still cannot be considered a candidate, said Marcoleta. And since he is not a candidate, he has no obligation to list the P75 million he received in the Statement of Donations and Expenditures he submitted to the Comelec. That is true, said Comelec while nodding at Marcoleta’s explanation.
But what is surprising is why Marcocleta did not disclose that P112 million was spent on the campaign when he ran for senator in 2025, but his declared wealth was only P51 million.
That’s when the Ombudsman came, and the evidence he used was what was said in the public interview and what Marcoleta said in his sworn statement submitted to the Comelec.
The first justification of the Ombudsman, congressman Marcoleta when he said he was given P75 million by his friends. He said those who contributed to him did not ask for any favors. But this millionaire is not listed in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth. All government officials, from the lowest to the president of the Philippines, are required to submit a sworn SANN.
Now, what Marcoleta is saying is that he used the money in his campaign, but it was not listed in his sworn statement to the Comelec.
It is also said in the case of the Ombudsman, it is also in the law that government officials are not allowed to receive gifts. This is a violation of the law in possession of unexplained property or unexplained property. And it is also in the law that when more than 50 million is stolen, it is already in the category of robbery or robbery.
In Marcoleta’s current case, he said he received P75 million as a “gift.” The defendant in the robbery case is in jail without bail while the case continues to be heard.
In the public meeting of the INC, Marcoleta, and even one of his partners in the looting case, former congressman Mike Defensor, said that the gift of a million pesos is not a favor. A friend of mine was shocked by what Marcoleta and Defensor said:
“Just give Marcoleta millions? You see that. Defensor is probably one of the nicest Filipinos because he just gives him a bunch of money. he can also be a big liar and he thinks we’re all fools.”
Marcoleta also mentioned that he did not steal from the public treasury. The lawyer said Sunday Cayosa, former president of the Common Bar of the Philippines, in an interview with OneNews, that is not the reason for Marcoleta to go through. Cayosa reminded that former president Erap Estrada was found guilty of plunder by the Sandiganbayan in 2007 for embezzling nearly P4 billion in jueteng and tobacco tax enforcement.
He said he was willing to go to jail if there was an arrest warrant, Marcoleta said. Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa said the same before the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest. But when he was arrested, the speed of De la Rosa’s karípas.
Now, Marcoleta is the one who can be stopped. Is the courage he shows true? Will he stand up to defend the murdered or the martyr?
Some said that it could look like a Stone. Why did you think that, I ask the doubters? Please explain why you say that Bato and Marcoleta are the same? – Rappler.com
Yes Chito de la Vega oh Without doing anything of Rappler twice a month. He is also one of the organizers of the program News News Serviceo of DZME 1530.
