MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday asked the Sandiganbayan to issue a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and three others over complaints of plunder, indirect bribery, and violation of Presidential Decree No. 46.
The anti-graft body filed a verified ex parte application seeking a PHDO against Marcoleta, former Rep. Mike Defensor, Aristotle Viray, and Joseph Espiritu.
The Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division scheduled the PHDO hearing for Tuesday.
A PHDO is a court order directing the Bureau of Immigration to prevent a person suspected of a crime punishable by at least six years and one day in prison from leaving the country if there is a high likelihood of flight risk. The order does not determine guilt.
The possible criminal complaint against Marcoleta surfaced last Friday.
The Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon’s field investigation bureau recommended filing plunder and indirect bribery complaints against Marcoleta, Defensor, Viray, and Espiritu over alleged campaign donations totaling P75 million.
Investigators also recommended filing a complaint for violation of Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts from private individuals, against Marcoleta.
According to the complaint, Defensor, Espiritu, and Viray allegedly donated P30 million, P25 million, and P20 million, respectively, for Marcoleta’s senatorial campaign in January 2025.
The complaint stated that Marcoleta declared “no cash or in kind contributions” in his statement of contributions and expenditures submitted to the Commission on Elections.
The complaint noted that the campaign period officially started in February 2025 and cited a 2009 Supreme Court ruling stating that candidates may only be held liable for election offenses during the campaign period.
The Commission on Elections previously cleared Marcoleta of election offense allegations.
However, investigators said the alleged P75 million donations were not declared in Marcoleta’s statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth as of June 30, 2025.
The complaint stated that Marcoleta declared only P39.6 million in assets accumulated from 1992 to June 30, 2025.
On Monday, Marcoleta denied the allegations during a privilege speech at the Senate plenary session and described the charges as fabricated.
Marcoleta said the law does not prohibit generosity among friends and argued that the allegations failed to prove corruption or the sale of public duty.
The Sandiganbayan has previously issued PHDOs against Sen. Francis Escudero and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez in connection with investigations into alleged irregularities in flood control projects last year.
Escudero was removed as Senate president on Sept. 8, 2025, while Romualdez resigned as House speaker nine days later.
