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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ombudsman seeks PHDOs vs Marcoleta, Mike Defensor, 2 others before Sandiganbayan

Ombudsman seeks PHDOs vs Marcoleta, Mike Defensor, 2 others before Sandiganbayan

Published May 25, 2026 07:41 pm
(MB FILE PHOTO)
(MB FILE PHOTO)
The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has sought the issuance of Precautionary Hold Departure Orders (PHDOs) against Senator Rodante Marcoleta, former lawmaker Michael “Mike” Defensor, and two other individuals before the Sandiganbayan.
A PHDO is a court order that prohibits a respondent facing a criminal complaint under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the OMB from leaving the Philippines pending resolution of the investigation.
A Sandiganbayan raffle sheet dated May 25 showed that the application involved allegations of plunder, indirect bribery, and violation of Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits public officials from receiving gifts and private individuals from giving them.
The case was docketed as “OMB-C-C-MAY-26-0061” and raffled during the anti-graft court’s 11th raffle held Monday afternoon.
Earlier, investigators from the OMB filed a complaint for plunder against Marcoleta, Defensor, Joseph Varias Espiritu, and Aristotle Baluyut Viray.
In an order dated May 21, 2026, the Ombudsman directed the respondents to submit their counter-affidavits within 15 days from receipt of the order.
According to the complaint filed on May 18, investigators alleged that Marcoleta’s acceptance of gifts totaling P75 million on three separate occasions while he was still serving as a member of the House of Representatives constituted plunder.
The complaint alleged that Marcoleta received P30 million from Defensor on Jan. 6, 2025; P25 million from Espiritu on Jan. 8, 2025; and P20 million from Viray on Jan. 9, 2025.
Investigators said the transactions were allegedly supported by donor’s tax returns and deposit slips reflecting payment of donor’s taxes in December 2025.
Also, the investigators alleged that there was no clear purpose or pending transaction that would justify the transfer of the funds and argued that the gifts were given by reason of Marcoleta’s public office.
The complaint also alleged that Defensor, Espiritu, and Viray “belatedly filed the donor’s taxes for the gifts,” adding that the payments were supposedly made only later to invoke good faith and make it appear that the gifts were legally accepted.
Investigators pointed out that under the National Internal Revenue Code, donor’s tax returns must be filed within 30 days from the date the gift was made.
However, they alleged that the donor’s taxes for the gifts given in January 2025 were paid only in December 2025, or nearly 12 months later.

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Ombudsman OMB seeks issuance Precautionary Hold Departure Orders PHDOs against Senator Rodante Marcoleta former lawmaker Michael \"Mike\" Defensor and two other individuals Sandiganbayan
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