Who Is Rodante Marcoleta? Thousands of Iglesia Ni Cristo Members Rally as Senator Faces Graft Charges

Members of the religious group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) rallied in parts of Metro Manila on Tuesday, June 30, in support of embattled Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who is under investigation for plunder and facing possible arrest for undisclosed campaign donations worth 75 million pesos.

Who Is Rodante Marcoleta?

Marcoleta is a veteran member of the House of Representatives who previously served as a party-list representative before being elected senator in the 2025 elections, placing sixth out of 12 winning candidates. He belongs to the Senate minority bloc associated with the Duterte political clan and Vice President Sara Duterte. An ally of the Dutertes, Marcoleta once led Senate blue ribbon committee hearings into the flood control corruption scandal and a non-sanctioned meeting following the ouster of then-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. He is also a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the religious organization now rallying in his defense.

The Allegations

According to the Office of the Ombudsman, Marcoleta allegedly failed to disclose campaign contributions properly during his 2025 Senate run. He reported spending 112 million pesos on his campaign but initially declared no campaign contributions in documents filed with the Commission on Elections, despite a net worth of only 51 million pesos. He later acknowledged receiving 75 million pesos in donations, saying the funds were given before the official campaign period began and that he was not required to disclose them at that time.

The Commission on Elections has said no election rule was violated since Marcoleta received the funds before becoming an official Senate candidate, but the Department of Justice noted he obtained the money while serving as a congressman representing the SAGIP party-list group. The Ombudsman’s office said Marcoleta “unjustly” enriched himself by accepting the donations and is treating the funds as allegedly ill-gotten. Under the Philippines’ plunder law, Republic Act No. 7080, officials accused of amassing at least 50 million pesos in allegedly ill-gotten wealth face penalties of life imprisonment and a lifetime ban from holding public office.

The Sandiganbayan has already approved the Ombudsman’s request for a precautionary hold departure order against Marcoleta over the pending complaint.

Marcoleta’s Response

Marcoleta has denied wrongdoing and characterized the case as politically motivated. During a privilege speech in the Senate, he said the charges were intended “to intimidate independent voices, to punish dissent,” adding, “If the intention of these cases is to silence me, let me say this at the very beginning: It has failed. I will not be silenced.”

He also suggested his possible arrest was a calculated move by opponents to prevent him from participating in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and pointed to what he described as selective prosecution, noting the Ombudsman has yet to conclude its investigation into other officials, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who is implicated in a separate public works scandal.

Malacañang Palace has rejected claims that the case is politically motivated. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the administration had no role in the Ombudsman’s investigation, noting it is an independent constitutional office. “The recommendation came from the Ombudsman itself,” Castro said. “It is an independent body. It is independent to the point that the administration cannot simply give it orders.”

The Rally

Protesters said they were contacted by organizers around 9 p.m. local time the night before via text, phone calls and Telegram messages. Police crowd estimates varied throughout the day. Authorities estimated the crowd at about 12,000 as of 1 p.m., as the rally temporarily closed White Plains Avenue in Quezon City along EDSA amid heavy traffic.

The INC has framed its support for Marcoleta as a call for fairness rather than an attempt to obstruct the justice process. INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala said the organization is not against enforcing the law, but objects to the law being bent to cover up corruption. “We want to let them know that selective justice is an injustice and we will not remain silent,” Zabala said in a video message ahead of the rally.

Vice President Sara Duterte also weighed in, alleging the case was politically driven. Duterte said in a statement that the Marcos administration had “weaponized the justice system by filing cases against and imprisoning individuals who dare speak out against alleged corruption.”

Marcoleta is widely viewed as a likely vote against convicting Duterte at her Senate impeachment trial, which is scheduled to begin next week. His case follows similar legal troubles for other Duterte allies. A month earlier, prosecutors filed charges against Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada over alleged involvement in a corruption scandal tied to bogus flood control projects, while Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is reportedly in hiding after narrowly avoiding arrest on an International Criminal Court warrant connected to the deadly drug war conducted under former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos was scheduled to lead the inauguration of a marine litter management event in Manila Bay and attend a presidential luncheon Tuesday, both of which were canceled as he monitored the protest, according to Malacañang.