Remulla says he did not order Marcoleta probe amid INC rally

MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said that he did not order the investigation against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta over a P75 million donation in his senatorial campaign last year, which led to a plunder complaint.

Instead, Remulla said it was a team in the Office of the Ombudsman who flagged it since “the evidence presents itself.”

The ombudsman made the remark during the launch of the anti-graft body’s field investigation course on Tuesday, which is concurrent with the start of Iglesia Ni Cristo’s (INC) protest action in Edsa Shrine that day in support of Marcoleta.

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The senator is a prominent member of the Christian sect.

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The police said as many as 16,000 protesters joined the INC’s show of force.

“Today (Tuesday), there’s a big rally or a commotion in Edsa, and of course, our friends from the INC are the ones who instigated it due to a feeling that they have that Rodante Marcoleta is being singled out among other people,” Remulla said in his speech.

A video of his remarks was shared to reporters on Wednesday.

“We all know that is not true,” Remulla told the audience, which included some 60 investigators of the anti-graft body.

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He noted that the Ombudsman has motu propio powers, meaning it can investigate on its own without a complaint filed in their office.

However, he noted: “I never instructed anybody to conduct the investigation. It was brought up by, I don’t know what team, and the work was good, so I said, ‘We will file a case.’”

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On Monday, Remulla said a plunder case will be filed against Marcoleta in the Sandiganbayan this week.

Plunder is non-bailable, so Marcoleta is expected to be jailed once the anti-graft court issues an arrest warrant against him.

Aside from plunder, Marcoleta and his campaign donors, former Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor and businessmen Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu, also face an indirect bribery complaint for donating P30 million, P25 million, and P20 million.

The P75 million donation was not declared in his statement of contributions and expenditures (Soce) filed with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), nor in his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN).

In his counter-affidavit, the senator explained that the P75 million donation in January 2025 was already spent during the campaign, which is why he did not declare it in his SALN.

He also said that it was not reflected in his Soce because the donation was made before the campaign period in February last year.

Marcoleta, in his TV program, admitted his “friends” gave him campaign contributions, in condition that their identities would not be disclosed.

For his part, Remulla said: “I mean, when the evidence presents itself in front of you, you might as well bring it to court.” /apl

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