Marcoleta pretrial on plunder, ‘gift’ raps put off due to habagat

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Third Division on Monday (August 10) cancelled the pretrial of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta due to heavy rains caused by the southwest monsoon, or habagat, according to Dennis Pulma, clerk of court of the anti-graft court division.

The Third Division is handling the plunder case against Marcoleta, his campaign donors, former Rep. Mike Defensor, and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray.

The charge is in connection with a P75 million campaign donation the senator received while being a sitting party-list lawmaker, which, according to state prosecutors, was not declared in the senator’s financial and campaign disclosures.

READ: TIMELINE: Key events behind Marcoleta’s plunder case

The anti-graft court is also handling one of three cases of Marcoleta in alleged violation of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 46, with Espiritu as co-accused.

PD No. 46 prohibits government officials from receiving, and private individuals from conferring, gifts.

“Due to inclement weather brought by the southwest monsoon, the PRE-TRIAL in People vs Marcoleta et. al (Plunder) and People vs. Espiritu et. al (PD 46) is CANCELLED,” Pulma told reporters.

Marcoleta and Espiritu’s pretrial is reset to Friday, Aug. 14, according to Pulma.

The pretrial is where the marking for the identification of evidence and stipulation of facts in the case takes place before the trial.

Marcoleta, Defensor, Espiritu and Viray have pleaded not guilty for plunder during their arraignment for plunder, while the senator and Espiritu also pleaded the same for PD No. 46.

Arraignment marks the formal start of the criminal trial proceedings, requiring the accused to appear in court where the charges against them will be read before entering a guilty and not guilty plea.

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