Senator Rodante Marcoleta had been arrested on Monday morning, changing the composition of the impeachment court against Vice President Sara Duterte anew.
The most outspoken pro-Duterte legislator was at the Sandiganbayan to file his motion to quash the charges against him. He is accused of wrongfully accepting P75 million (Dh 4.5 million) in donations while he was a sitting member of the House of Representatives in 2025.
Marcoleta also failed to declare the amount in his annual assets and net worth nor in his election contributions and election expenditures reports. The offense is non-bailable.
While in court, Sandiganbayan rejected Marcoleta’s bid to have the charges against him dropped. The Court issued an arrest warrant instead.
Marcoleta in effect delivered himself to arresting authorities waiting outside for exactly the same eventuality. Department of Interior and Local Government secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. led the arrest.
He joins fellow senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada in jail, himself facing flood control kickback allegations.
With both in jail and Senator Ronald dela Rosa in hiding, pro-Duterte senators in the impeachment trial are decimated to eight: Christopher “Bong” Go, Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos, Mark Villar, Camille Villar, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, and Loren Legarda.
Senators Francis Escudero and Joel Villanueva, previously included in their camp, recently broke ranks and recognized the leadership of new Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. Both are also being investigated for corruption.
Marcoleta’s absence in the trial would impact heavily on the pro-Duterte camp in the Senate, being a self-styled legal eagle and unafraid of debates.
Remaining Duterte allies in the Senate are left with only two lawyers, the Cayetanos, while the rest are seen to be intellectual lightweights except for former journalist Legarda. Their votes, however, still count.
There are potentially 13 Senators seen as favoring the conviction of Duterte: Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Win Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Kiko Pangilinan, Tito Sotto, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, Joel Villanueva, Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Per Constitutional rules, they are still three votes short of securing a conviction. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)