Notarized deeds of donation and testimony in a plunder case show that a total P75 million given to Senator Rodante Marcoleta by former congressman Mike Defensor, and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray was intended to support the lawmaker’s 2025 senatorial campaign, rather than for personal use. The documents state that the money was donated in support of Marcoleta’s possible candidacy in the May 12 elections. In a sworn affidavit, Marcoleta himself said Viray gave him P20 million “in support of my senatorial candidacy.” The documents contrast with Marcoleta’s position before the Commission on Elections that the funds were personal money and therefore were not disclosed in his campaign expenditure report. The crime of plunder penalizes grand corruption and accumulation of ill-gotten wealth, and is a nonbailable offense.
Documents show Marcoleta donations funded campaign
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