Sandiganbayan issues new arrest warrants vs Marcoleta, Defensor

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division on Wednesday issued arrest warrants against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former Rep. Mike Defensor, and set their bail at P30,000 each for allegedly violating a presidential decree that prohibits government officials from receiving — and private individuals from giving — gifts.

Despite being allowed to post bail, Marcoleta and Defensor will remain in custody as they are facing a non-bailable case of plunder before the Third Division of the antigraft court.

READ: Sandiganbayan postpones Marcoleta, co-accused’s arraignment, pretrial

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The charges for violation of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 46 now pending at the Fourth Division stemmed from the alleged P30 million campaign donation that Marcoleta received from Defensor while the senator was still a party-list representative.

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State prosecutors said the donation was not declared in the senator’s financial and campaign disclosures.

“The court … finds that probable cause exists for the issuance of warrants of arrest against the said accused,” the court said in a resolution dated July 8.

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

Defensor is currently detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas, while Marcoleta remains under police custody at the Philippine National Police General Hospital, where he is undergoing medical treatment after the Sandiganbayan Third Division ordered their arrest on Monday in connection with a non-bailable plunder case.

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The Fourth Division then ordered the court sheriffs to serve the arrest warrant in the areas where Marcoleta and Defensor are held.

The court also issued a hold departure order against the two.

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READ: Marcoleta’s arraignment for plunder set for July 10

Prosecutors said Marcoleta had received a total of P75 million in campaign donation. His two donors, businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray were also charged with plunder and PD No. 46 before the other divisions of the Sandiganbayan./dp

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