The Department of Justice (DOJ) clarified that funds involved in a plunder case do not have to be public funds, citing the Anti-Plunder Law following the arrest of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta over an alleged undeclared P75 million campaign donation during the 2025 midterm elections.
Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said the law covers various forms of ill-gotten wealth, including financial benefits received by public officials in connection with their office, regardless of whether the funds came from the government.
The DOJ also emphasized that both public officials who receive gifts and private individuals who give them may be held liable under existing anti-graft laws and the Revised Penal Code.
Marcoleta, along with co-accused Michael Defensor and Joseph Espiritu, remains in government custody while denying the allegations and claiming the charges are politically motivated.
The DOJ urged the public to read the Anti-Plunder Law to better understand its provisions and reiterated that legal accountability applies equally to both givers and recipients of unlawful benefits.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 7, 2026
