Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday called out Senator Rodante Marcoleta for claiming that his impending arrest over plunder charges is linked to the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Marcoleta earlier claimed that the case against him had long been planned, citing Lacson’s remarks weeks earlier that nine more senators could be arrested and jailed.
“It’s gaslighting time once more. The mention of nine senators being possibly incarcerated was a hypothetical statement in the context of determining the base number to compute the constitutional requirement of two-thirds vote of all senators actively participating or not in the impeachment trial,” Lacson said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Lacson had voiced concern that the Supreme Court may need to intervene to address the possible “absurdity” of the Impeachment Court being reduced to a mere formality for acquittal if at least nine out of 24 Senator Judges were hypothetically detained and suspended, as in the case of Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.
In a Facebook post early Tuesday, Marcoleta claimed the plunder case that the Office of the Ombudsman is preparing to file against him before the Sandiganbayan aims to stop him from exposing corruption and taking part in the impeachment trial, which starts July 6.
According to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, the case against Marcoleta is “for resolution,” and they are “about to file it already.”
The case involves PHP75 million in gifts or donations that Marcoleta received from three individuals in January 2025 when he was a congressman. (PNA)