The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) said the plunder case against Senator Rodante Marcoleta appears designed to silence his advocacy against corruption, expressing its support for him even as it maintains it is not opposed to the rule of law.
“Sinusuportahan ng Iglesia ni Cristo ang itinataguyod ni Senator Marcoleta dahil ito rin ang posisyon namin,” INC Spokesperson Bro. Edwil Zabala said in a statement read live on Net25. “Hindi tutol ang Iglesia ni Cristo sa pagpapatupad ng batas, pero tutol kami sa pagbaluktot sa batas, lalo na kung ang layunin ay para pagtakpan ang katiwalian,” Zabala said.
Zabala said Marcoleta led the investigation into one of the country’s largest cases of alleged corruption as then-chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, and continued the pursuit of justice even after he was replaced as committee chairman.
The INC spokesperson questioned how the acceptance of campaign donations could constitute plunder, noting that the Commission on Elections itself had already ruled that no crime was committed in Marcoleta’s acceptance of campaign contributions.
“Paano nagging plunder ang pagtanggap ng campaign donation o contributions? Hindi naman galing sa kabang yaman ng Pilipinas ang tinanggap niyang donation sa mga sumuporta sa kanyang pagkandidato bilang senador?” Zabala said.
Zabala said the INC would continue demanding accountability for those involved in the alleged corruption regardless of the outcome of Marcoleta’s case.
“Kahit ipakulong nila si Senator Marcoleta, ay hindi kami titigil sa paghingi ng katarungan para sa mga kababayan natin na ninakawan,” he said.
The INC’s statement comes after Marcoleta himself released a video statement on Tuesday, June 30, vowing to continue serving the public even as he faces imminent arrest, saying he has long known this moment was coming.
“Alam kong gagawin nila ito. Alam kong aarestuhin nila ako. Alam kong ikukulong nila ako. Ngunit hindi po dahilan ‘yan para tumigil ako sa paglilingkod sa inyo,” Marcoleta said.
The Senator said his arrest is timed to prevent him from participating in the impeachment proceedings set to begin next week, describing the move as a calculated effort to silence him at a critical moment.
“Sa mga tweet, dalawang ibon sa isang putok, mga kababayan,” he said, adding that the plan had been telegraphed weeks in advance when former Senator Ping Lacson mentioned that as many as nine senators could be jailed.
Marcoleta also pointed to a pending complaint against House Speaker Martin Romualdez that has remained unacted upon since April 2026, arguing that those behind the alleged corruption are being shielded while their accusers are being targeted.
“Huwag po tayong pumayag na basta-basta na lang nila baluktutin ang katwiran. Kahit ano pong mangyari, ilaban po natin ang katwiran dahil ang katwiran po ang magpapalaya sa atin,” he said.
