Metro Manila, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan Seventh Division on Tuesday, May 26, issued a precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) on Senator Rodante Marcoleta, former Rep. Michael Defensor, and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray in connection with a plunder investigation.
A PHDO is a court directive ordering the Bureau of Immigration to prevent people facing criminal investigation from leaving the country to make sure they appear in legal proceedings.
The Office of the Ombudsman asked the anti-graft court to issue the PHDO in light of the filing of complaints for plunder, indirect bribery, and violation of Presidential Decree 46 — a 1972 law prohibiting gift-giving to public officials.
The ombudsman said Marcoleta received a total of ₱75 million in campaign donations from Defensor, Espiritu, and Viray over a four-day period in January 2025.
The Commission on Elections earlier investigated the donations after Marcoleta allegedly failed to declare the contributions in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures.
The poll body cleared the senator of election offense charges, ruling that the funds were received before the official campaign period began.
In a privilege speech on Monday, May 25, Marcoleta dismissed the allegations as “trumped up charges” and defended the donations as acts of generosity among friends.
