Philippine anti-graft court orders arrest of Duterte ally ahead of impeachment trial

A Philippine anti-graft court has ordered the arrest of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, an ally of Vice President Sara Duterte, on a plunder charge. The order came just hours before the Senate was scheduled to begin an impeachment trial for Duterte. If convicted, Duterte could be barred from the 2028 presidential elections, where she is currently a frontrunner.

Marcoleta is accused by the Ombudsman's office of accepting 75 million pesos ($1.2 million) from private donors during his 2025 Senate campaign. This action allegedly violates anti-corruption laws. The court also issued a hold departure order, preventing the senator from leaving the country.

The Ombudsman stated, "A public servant owes no personal debt to any donor that supersedes what they owe the Filipino people." The potential arrest of Marcoleta had previously sparked protests organized by a religious group, causing significant traffic disruptions in Manila and leading to the cancellation of presidential engagements.

Marcoleta's office had no immediate comment, but he reportedly told supporters last week that he was prepared to be jailed. This development follows the recent detention of Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada on similar plunder charges related to kickbacks from infrastructure projects.

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A public servant owes no personal debt to any donor that supersedes what they owe the Filipino people.