Sandiganbayan suspends Senator Marcoleta for 90 days for plunder

MANILA – The Sandiganbayan on Monday suspended jailed Sen. Rodante Marcoleta over plunder charges involving undeclared election campaign donations.

The anti-graft court's Third Division imposed the 90-day preventive suspension against the lawmaker for allegedly receiving PHP75 million in campaign donations from former Quezon City lawmaker Mike Defensor and businessmen Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu in the 2025 elections.

“His suspension shall automatically be lifted upon the expiration of the 90-day period from the implementation of this resolution,” the graft court said.

Last July, the Office of the Ombudsman filed the non-bailable case against Marcoleta, who allegedly received the donations while still serving as a member of the House of Representatives.

Republic Act 7080, or the Plunder Law, provides that any public officer charged with the case “whatever stage of execution and mode of participation, is pending in court, shall be suspended from office.”

-Philippine News Agency