By Jel Santos
Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Monday, Aug. 3, refused to enter a plea during his arraignment before the Sandiganbayan First Division in one of three criminal cases filed against him for alleged violation of Presidential Decree No. 46, the anti-gift law.
Marcoleta’s lawyer, Moises Tolentino Jr., informed the court that the senator was declining to plead due to “other pending petitions before the Supreme Court.”
“The accused, Senator Rodante Marcoleta, would like to inform the court that since there are pending remedies [before] the Supreme Court, he refuses to enter a plea for today’s arraignment,” Tolentino said.
With Marcoleta declining, the Sandiganbayan entered a “not guilty” plea on his behalf, as required by procedure.
“However, the court enters a plea of ‘not guilty’ on the part of accused Marcoleta,” Associate Justice Maria Theresa V. Mendoza-Arcega, chairperson of the First Division, announced.
Marcoleta’s co-accused, businessman Aristotle Viray, entered his own plea of “not guilty.”
Prosecutors alleged Viray donated P20 million to Marcoleta while the latter was serving as a party-list representative.
Marcoleta earlier pleaded “not guilty” to a plunder charge and another count of violating PD No. 46 before the Sandiganbayan Third Division on July 22, after withdrawing his motion to quash the plunder case.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the plunder case and three separate anti-gift charges on July 3, accusing Marcoleta of receiving P75 million in undeclared donations during his time as congressman.
