Senator Rodante Marcoleta is now fit to travel according to a Philippine National Police (PNP) doctor, though he remains confined at the PNP General Hospital (PNPGH) to complete treatment for mild pneumonia. While the court has ordered daily health reports, the senator’s continued hospital stay has delayed his commitment to the Quezon City Jail following his arrest on a nonbailable plunder charge.
Medical Status and Court Directives
Lt. Col. Benaly Bayani, chief of the Internal Medicine Department at the PNPGH, testified before the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Friday that Marcoleta’s condition has improved. Bayani informed division chair Associate Justice Karl Miranda that the senator is fit to travel, provided he wears a face mask, noting that he experiences only occasional chest pain with no difficulty breathing. Despite this, the hospital recommended he remain in the facility to finish his pneumonia treatment. Justice Miranda has ordered Bayani to submit a notarized daily report on Marcoleta’s health until he is physically able to appear in court for his formal commitment.
Controversy Over Hospital Visitation
The Sandiganbayan raised concerns regarding the senator’s access to visitors while he is purportedly in isolation. Associate Justice Ronald Moreno questioned why the police allowed individuals to visit Marcoleta despite medical advice that he required isolation for his condition. Records show that Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Robinhood Padilla were among those who visited the senator at the hospital earlier this week. In response to the court’s inquiry, Col. John Guiagui, CIDG unit director for Metro Manila, stated that previous visits were granted based on requests from the senator and his family. Moving forward, Guiagui confirmed that the police will restrict visitations to lawyers, immediate family members, and individuals directly involved in the senator’s pending cases to comply with court directives.
Consolidation of Pending Legal Cases
The legal proceedings against Marcoleta involve multiple charges. The Sandiganbayan Third Division has approved the consolidation of the plunder case with a separate charge for violating Presidential Decree No. 46, which prohibits government officials from accepting gifts. The Sixth Division, which previously held the PD 46 case, forwarded the records to the Third Division, noting that the charge is a component of the primary plunder case. The plunder allegations, filed by the Office of the Ombudsman, involve a P75-million campaign donation received by Marcoleta in 2025 from former Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray, which prosecutors allege was not declared in his financial disclosures. Beyond these consolidated matters, Marcoleta faces two additional counts of violating PD 46 currently pending in the court’s First and Fourth Divisions.