Defensor, 2 others plead not guilty in plunder case

MANILA, Philippines — Former lawmaker Mike Defensor and two of his co-accused on Wednesday pleaded not guilty during the arraignment in their plunder case filed before the Sandiganbayan Third Division.

Defensor, Espiritu and Viray were the co-accused of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta stemming the P75 million campaign donation they gave the senator while being a sitting party-list lawmaker, which, according to state prosecutors, was not declared in his financial and campaign disclosures.

Defensor allegedly donated P30 million, Viray P25 million, and Espiritu P20 million for Marcoleta’s senatorial bid in the 2025 elections.

Arraignment marks the formal start of the criminal trial proceedings, requiring the accused to appear in court where the charges against him will be read.

READ: Marcoleta, Defensor arrive for July 15 Sandiganbayan plunder hearing

Earlier, Associate Justice Karl Miranda said the camp of Defensor and Espiritu manifested that they wanted their arraignment and pretrial to push through. 

Because of Defensor and Espiritu’s manifestation, the motion to quash case information they filed previously is now “deemed withdrawn,” according to Miranda.

Viray has not filed a motion to quash, according to the court.

For his part, Marcoleta has yet to be arraigned due to the pending motion to quash or a bid to junk his plunder case.

The motion to quash should be resolved before Marcoleta could be arraigned. /das /apl