By Benjamin Pulta
MANILA – The Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday said the plunder case to be filed in the Sandiganbayan against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta is not “targeted” but part of genuine efforts to combat graft and corruption.
“Walang katotohanan po na targeted ang ating efforts. These are genuine efforts na maayos ang ating lipunan para hindi na tayo tawagin na (It is not true that our efforts are targeted. These are genuine efforts to fix our society so that we will no longer be called a) broken society,” Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas.
“This is the time po na kailangan na natin ayusin ang ating lipunan. Wala po tayo kinikilingan dito sa ating ginagawa (This is the time that we need to fix our society. We are not biased in what we do),” he added.
Clavano made this remark as the Ombudsman prepares to file plunder charges against Marcoleta for allegedly receiving PHP75 million in campaign contributions from former congressman Mike Defensor, as well as from Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu.
He said Marcoleta did not declare the amount in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) and Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).
Clavano said it would be up to the anti-graft court to determine whether an arrest warrant will be issued against Marcoleta and his co-accused.
He said Marcoleta was still a congressman when he received the PHP75 million for his senatorial bid in the mid-term 2025 national and local elections.
The plunder case stemmed from Marcoleta’s public admission that he received PHP75 million in campaign contributions.
The Office of the Ombudsman, he said, is also preparing to file charges against contractors and other individuals allegedly involved in anomalous flood control projects as part of its anti-corruption efforts.
He said making the pending cases public is part of the transparency being practiced by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Clavano said Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla also announced other pending cases in a press conference on Monday.
“Marami po siyang inanunsyo na mga kaso, lalo na po sa mga contractor na matagal na naming ini-investigate. So malapit na po yan na pumasok sa preliminary investigation (He announced many cases, especially on contractors that we have been investigating for a long time. So, it will soon enter the preliminary investigation),” he said. (PNA)
