Religious group protests impending senator’s arrest; causes mammoth traffic

Thousands gathered at a democracy monument to protest the impending arrest of a minority senator for receiving millions of pesos in campaign funds, accusing the Marcos government of selective justice

Senator Rodante Marcoleta during the confirmation of five Armed Forces of the Philippines Generals, flag officers and 85 foreign service officials last June 17. Photo by Joseph B. Vidal / Senate Social Media Unit

Manuel Mogato | June 30, 2026

MANILA — Thousands gathered at a democracy monument to protest the impending arrest of a minority senator for receiving millions of pesos in campaign funds, accusing the Marcos government of selective justice.

Members of the small Christian sect Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) church started gathering around the People Power monument at dawn, braving heavy downpour, to pressure the government from arresting Senator Rodante Marcoleta who is facing non-bailable plunder charges. The senator is an INC member.

“Even if the senator is put behind bars, we will continue to call for justice,” Edwin Zavala, a spokesman for INC, said in a broadcast message, describing the government’s action against the senator as “injustice.”

Zavala also accused the government of “selective justice” targeting minority senators to silence them from pursuing congressional corruption investigation that includes the president and his close allies. (Also read: Authorities checking reports on fresh destabilization attempts against the Marcos government)

For his part, Marcoleta said the impending arrest was meant to silence him and prevent him from taking part in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte which will start next week.

Marcoleta is a close ally of the vice president.

Zavala said the plunder case against the senator is the law because it does not by involve public funds and that the election commission ruled that Marcoleta did not break election laws because the donation was given before the election period.

However, the Ombudsman which is preparing plunder charges said Marcoleta is liable under the plunder law even if the 75 million pesos he had received involved private funds.

Under the plunder law, private funds are covered by the law.

Miko Clavano, assistant ombudsman, said public officers are only allowed to receive campaign donations during the campaign period.

Marcoleta became liable because he received millions outside the election period.

It falls under plunder case because the funds involved more than 50 million pesos threshold.

Moreover, Marcoleta was liable under indirect bribery law for receiving money outside the election period as a public officer.

The Ombudsman said it does not need additional evidence against Marcoleta because he had admitted receiving the funds in a television show.

Presidential spokeswoman Claire Castro rejected Marcoleta’s accusation that the government wanted to silence him.

She said it was the president who initiated the corruption investigation, not the senator.

The government said it was confident the security forces would remain apolitical and will refrain from joining the INC protest.

On the other hand, the INC would protest until the end of the week to stop the senator’s arrest.

President Marcos cancelled his official schedules when the protest clogged the capital’s main highway but will depart for a four-day trip to Vancouver, Canada.