Claire Castro: Marcos ‘respects’ development in Marcoleta case

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “respects” the development in Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s case, who is now in custody after the Sandiganbayan ordered his arrest over non-bailable plunder charges, Palace press officer Claire Castro said Monday.

The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division has issued an arrest order against Marcoleta for the plunder case brought by the P75 million campaign donations he received while being a sitting party-list lawmaker.

It issued the arrest order Monday morning after the Office of the Ombudsman filed the plunder raps against Marcoleta on Friday.

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READ: Marcoleta to be detained at Payatas jail over plunder case

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“If that is what the law provides and that is what the court has ordered, then the President will respect it,” said Castro, when asked for Marcos’ reaction to the matter.

The senator will be detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas, according to Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Karl Miranda.

Meanwhile, Castro also reacted to former Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor’s remark that they are being imprisoned ahead of those who actually  stole from the public coffers.

It was Defensor, along with businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray, who allegedly donated the P75 million for Marcoleta’s senatorial campaign.

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“That’s exactly the point. I hope they had also acted more quickly in presenting evidence—solid, concrete evidence, not just media publicity,” the Palace official responded.

“There would have been a resolution and a solution if they had immediately submitted concrete evidence, so that those people they want to hold accountable could have already been held accountable and the cases they filed could have already been brought to court. But as long as they cannot provide concrete evidence, the court will really not accept it,” Castro continued.

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Defensor claimed that the cases filed against them are baseless, which Castro disputed.

“They should just take this to court and defend it there,” she said.

READ: Sandiganbayan issues arrest order for Marcoleta over plunder rap

On the other hand, Castro said the arrest warrants issued against Marcoleta, Defensor, and two others will not affect the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which is also scheduled on Monday.

“That is now in the hands of the Senate. As for us, at any time—whenever, whatever day—whatever the court says, if they have issued a warrant or an arrest order, it cannot be stopped unless there is also a court order that can suspend its implementation,” she said.

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“So if this has been issued by the court as a valid warrant of arrest, the Executive has no choice but to enforce it,” Castro added. /mr