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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandiganbayan issues another arrest warrant vs Marcoleta, Defensor

Sandiganbayan issues another arrest warrant vs Marcoleta, Defensor

Published Jul 8, 2026 09:06 pm

At A Glance

  • The new arrest warrant against Marcoleta and Defensor was issued by Fourth Division ofnthe Sandiganbayan for violation of PD 46
  • The 6th Division of the Sandiganbayan, on the other hand, consolidate the same case vs Marcoleta and another accused to the plunder case
  • All the five accused are under police custody
Sen. Rodante Marcoleta is assisted by CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II after his arrest for a case of plunder. photo: Santi San Juan
Sen. Rodante Marcoleta is assisted by CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico II after his arrest for a case of plunder. photo: Santi San Juan
The Sandiganbayan issued on Wednesday, July 8, another arrest warrant against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former congressman Mike Defensor for a case of violation of Presidential Decree (PD) 46.
PD 46 penalizes public officials and employees for receiving gifts and private individuals to give gifts and the case involving Marcoleta as the alleged receiver while he was still a congressman, and Defensor as the private individual who gave cash donation supposedly for election purposes, was raffled to the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan.
In its order, the Fourth Division directed the anti-graft court’s sheriff to serve the arrest warrant to Defensor who is detained at the New Quezon City Jail in Barangay Payatas and Marcoleta who is under hospital arrest at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Both Marcoleta and Defensor were arrested on Monday, July 6, based on the arrest warrant issued by the Third Division of the Sandiganbayan.
The Fourth Division set a bail of P30,000 for each of the two accused.
The same case of violation of PD 46 was raffled to Sixth Division against Marcoleta and another cash donor, Joseph Espiritu, who was also arrested on Monday for a case of plunder.
But no arrest warrant was issued and instead, the Sixth Division decided to consolidate the case of PD 46 violation to the plunder case pending before the Third Division.
The Sixth Division explained in its resolution that charge of violation of PD 46 was merely a component of plunder case now being handled by the Third Division.
The Sixth Division cited several jurisprudences to explain its decision.
Another co-accused of Marcoleta, Aristotle Viray, who was also arrested on Monday for a case of plunder, is facing the same case of PD 46 violation in another Sandiganbayan Division.
Viray and Espiritu are also detained at the New Quezon City Jail along with Defensor.

Related Tags

Sandiganbayan Rodante Marcoleta Mike Defensor
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