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Sara Duterte’s ally Marcoleta arrested hours before her impeachment trial in Philippines
Rodante Marcoleta is likely to be the third Duterte supporter to be unable to join the opening of the vice-president’s trial
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A Philippine senator who is an ally of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio was arrested on Monday on a plunder charge, hours before the Senate begins a high-stakes impeachment trial that could determine Duterte’s political future.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta was due to sit as a senator-judge on Monday at the impeachment trial against Duterte-Carpio. If convicted by a two-thirds majority in the 24-member Senate, Duterte-Carpio could be barred from running in the 2028 elections, where she remains the front runner to succeed President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.
In the Philippines, people charged with plunder are not eligible for bail. It was unclear whether the charging of Marcoleta would affect the impeachment trial process.
The anti-corruption court ordered Marcoleta’s arrest after the Ombudsman’s office had accused him of accepting 75 million pesos (US$1.2 million) from private donors during his 2025 Senate run, violating anti-corruption laws. It also issued a hold departure order against the senator, preventing him from leaving the country.
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