PNP: No arrest warrant out for Marcoleta

MANILA, Philippines — Despite Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s earlier claim, no warrant has been issued for his arrest, the Philippine National Police said on Monday.

“As of now, the Philippine National Police has not received any official communication regarding a said warrant,” PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co said at a press briefing in Camp Crame.

“Just like any other warrant from a competent authority, we will implement,” he added.

In a separate statement, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. also said the PNP has “not issued any special operational directive concerning Senator Marcoleta, and we do not act on rumors or unverified information.”

“The Philippine National Police remains a professional and apolitical organization, and all our actions are based on legal orders of competent courts, on the rule of law and on the maintenance of peace and order,” he stressed.

READ: Marcoleta: Even arrest, imprisonment won’t stop me

On June 16, Marcoleta said that cases were being fabricated against him because of his efforts to identify those allegedly involved in the flood control anomaly.

“It is possible that one day, we do not know whether today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, a warrant of arrest may be served on me so that I may be arrested,” the senator said.

READ: Ombudsman asks Sandiganbayan to stop Marcoleta, Defensor from leaving PH

“But please do not worry. Even if they arrest and imprison me, like what I say, I will not stop,” he added.

Hold departure order

Upon the request of the Office of the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan last week issued a precautionary hold departure order against Marcoleta and three people who allegedly contributed P75 million for his Senate campaign last year.

The three are former Quezon City Rep. Mike Defensor, Joseph Varias Espiritu and Aristotle Baluyut Viray, who reportedly made donations of P30 million, P25 million and P20 million, respectively.

The four are facing a complaint before the Ombudsman for plunder and three counts of indirect bribery over the campaign contributions that the senator failed to declare to the Commission on Elections and in his 2025 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Legally insufficient

Marcoleta, in his counteraffidavit submitted on June 5, called the complaint “legally insufficient” because “it does not establish the elements of the offenses charged.”

He said the donations were not public funds and were not declared to the Comelec because they were given to him before the start of the campaign period. /cb