MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and co-accused Joseph Espiritu pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to plunder and charges of violating a presidential decree that bars government officials from receiving, and private individuals from giving, gifts.
The arraignment formally opened the criminal proceedings, with the charges read before the accused entered their pleas.
Marcoleta, who has been detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas since last week, faces one count of plunder and three counts of violating Presidential Decree No. 46.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division is hearing the plunder case involving Marcoleta, Espiritu and co-accused former Rep. Mike Defensor and businessman Aristotle Viray over an alleged P75 million campaign donation that prosecutors said Marcoleta received while serving as a party-list lawmaker but failed to declare in his financial and campaign disclosures.
State prosecutors alleged Espiritu contributed P20 million, Defensor P30 million and Viray P25 million to the campaign fund.
Marcoleta’s three separate cases for alleged violations of Presidential Decree No. 46 are being heard by different Sandiganbayan divisions. The First Division is handling the case involving Viray, while the Fourth Division is hearing the case involving Defensor.