The Office of the Ombudsman filed a plunder case against Senator Rodante Marcoleta at the Sandiganbayan over his alleged acceptance of the undeclared P75 million campaign donations during the 2025 national elections.

The case against Marcoleta was filed before the Sandiganbayan on Friday morning after the Iglesia ni Cristo ended their three-day rally on Thursday night.

It is the second plunder case filed against a senator. Senator Jinggoy Estrada is in jail over allegations that he is involved in the flood control scandal.

"Today, we filed a plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan. This was not a decision made lightly or by choice. The evidence includes three cash donations totaling P75 million, undeclared in the senator's (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth) SALN and campaign finance reports," the Office of the Ombudsman said.

"This leaves our office no discretion to look away. These facts are not in dispute; the senator has publicly confirmed receiving the money, and they can be stipulated at the onset of trial. What remains is a question of law: whether these undisputed facts constitute plunder and bribery. We took an oath to enforce the law regardless of who is involved, and that oath does not waver for popularity, position, or personal relationships," he added.

Referring to a previous interview where he admitted receiving the 75 million pesos campaign donations as "utang na loob or debt of gratitude", the Office of the Ombudsman noted that even though Filipinos honor "utang na loob as one of our culture's most beautiful values", "it has no place in public office."

"A public servant owes no personal debt to any donor that supersedes what they owe the Filipino people. The moment gratitude is used to explain away P75 million in undisclosed money, it stops being "utang na loob" and becomes exactly what our plunder and bribery laws were written to prevent," it stated.

"We recognize this case has stirred intense public debate, and we respect every citizen's right to an opinion, to rally, and to demand accountability including from us, What we ask in return what we ourselves commit to: let the facts and the law decide, not sentiment or fear," it added.

News reports said Marcoleta's plunder case was raffled off to the third division of the Sandiganbayan. It is not known when his arrest warrant for plunder, a non-bailable offense, will be issued.

During the INC rally, Marcoleta said the filing of the plunder case was done in order to prevent him from participating in the impeachment trial of Sara Duterte. Robina Asido/PHS