Rodante Marcoleta Maintains Senate Position

Philippine Senator Rodante Marcoleta Remains in Office Despite False Removal Claims

Senator Rodante Marcoleta continues to serve in the Philippine Senate despite viral social media claims alleging his removal from office. The false narrative, which has gained significant traction online, incorrectly states that Marcoleta was ousted due to a perjury complaint filed with the Office of the Ombudsman.

The misleading Facebook post, published by a page called “Hot Balita Ngayon,” has accumulated over 4,800 reactions, 2,400 comments, and 161 shares. The page, which has approximately 13,000 followers, published a photo with text claiming, “Just in! That’s it, Marcoleta was shocked by the harsh verdict against him, he was removed from the Senate.”

This information is demonstrably false. As of this reporting, Marcoleta remains officially listed as a senator of the 20th Congress on the Senate’s website. No announcements regarding his resignation or removal have appeared on his official social media accounts, the Senate’s news archives, or in credible media reports.

The senator himself addressed these false claims during a December 15 Senate hearing of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, explicitly labeling the social media posts as “fake.” His active participation in this committee hearing, which took place after the misleading posts began circulating on December 12, further contradicts claims of his removal.

While the viral post’s claims about Marcoleta’s dismissal are unfounded, it does reference a genuine perjury complaint that was indeed filed against the senator. On December 5, poll watchdog Kontra Daya and representatives from Advocates for Public Interest Law submitted a complaint to the Ombudsman concerning alleged discrepancies in Marcoleta’s campaign finance reporting.

According to reporting by Inquirer.net, the complainants assert that Marcoleta publicly acknowledged receiving approximately P112 million in campaign donations but declared zero contributions in his official Statement of Contribution and Expenditures for the 2025 elections. The complaint cites statements made by Marcoleta during a televised interview on Net25, where he reportedly admitted to deliberately declaring zero contributions to protect his donors’ identities.

“This admission shows that he consciously chose to declare zero contributions precisely to avoid disclosing his donors, despite knowing that the law required him to do so,” the complainants stated, as quoted in media reports.

However, contrary to what the viral posts suggest, neither the Ombudsman’s office nor any credible news outlets have reported any final decision regarding this complaint. No official action has been taken toward Marcoleta’s removal from his Senate position.

This incident highlights the ongoing challenge of misinformation in Philippine social media, particularly regarding political figures. The rapid spread of false claims through platforms with substantial followings can create confusion among the public about the status of elected officials and governmental proceedings.

The Philippine Senate, comprised of 24 senators elected to six-year terms, remains one of the country’s key legislative bodies. Any actual removal of a sitting senator would require formal proceedings following constitutional procedures, not merely the filing of a complaint with the Ombudsman.

As social media continues to serve as a primary information source for many Filipinos, this case underscores the importance of critical media literacy and fact-checking when consuming political news online.