MANILA: Philippines: A senator in the Philippines who supports Vice President Sara Duterte was arrested on July 6 on a plunder charge, just hours before the Senate was set to begin an important impeachment trial that could decide Duterte's political future.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta was supposed to serve as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial against Duterte on July 6. If Duterte is found guilty by a two-thirds majority in the 24-member Senate, she could be banned from running in the 2028 elections, where she is currently the leading candidate to replace President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In the Philippines, people charged with plunder are not allowed to get bail. It is not yet clear whether Marcoleta's arrest will affect the impeachment trial.
The anti-corruption court ordered Marcoleta's arrest after the Ombudsman's office accused him of accepting 75 million pesos (US$1.2 million) from private donors during his 2025 Senate campaign, which breaks anti-corruption laws. The court also issued an order stopping him from leaving the country.
In a statement, anti-graft court Judge Karl Miranda said that after reviewing the evidence, the court found enough reason to believe that Marcoleta committed the crime.
Police arrested Marcoleta inside the courthouse after he appeared there to challenge the arrest order.
Marcoleta told reporters that he would not hide and would face the charges, based on his understanding of the law.
Last month, Senator Jose ‘Jinggoy' Estrada was also detained on plunder charges, suspected of receiving kickbacks from infrastructure projects. Estrada, who is also seen as a supporter of Duterte, has been suspended from his duties and will not be able to attend the start of the trial.
The possibility of Marcoleta's arrest led to protests last week organized by a religious group with two million members. These protests caused major traffic problems in the capital, Manila, and forced President Marcos to cancel events outside the presidential palace.
Marcos and Duterte ran together successfully in the 2022 elections, but their alliance has since broken down into a serious rivalry.
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