Marcoleta, Defensor arrive for July 15 Sandiganbayan plunder hearing

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta and former Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor arrived at the Sandiganbayan in Quezon City for a hearing on the plunder case against them on Wednesday, July 15.

Defensor and their co-accused arrived from the New Quezon City Jail around 8 a.m., while Marcoleta arrived from the Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH) around 8:15 a.m.

Upon arriving, waving Defensor said to the media, “The corrupt ones aren’t here!”

READ: PNP says Marcoleta fit to be presented in court

The plunder case against them stemmed from a P75-million donation made by Defensor and their co-accused to Marcoleta when the latter was still a party-list representative, prior to his 2025 senatorial bid.

Defensor and their co-accused were taken into government custody last week and committed to the New Quezon City Jail.

Meanwhile, Marcoleta was confined to the PNPGH and underwent a separate examination at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila after the police force’s doctors found he was experiencing mild pneumonia and degenerative disc disease, a condition related to the spine. /das