Senator Rodante D. Marcoleta was arrested on Monday, hours before the Senate was set to begin the impeachment trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, after the Sandiganbayan Third Division found probable cause to proceed with a plunder case against him and three co-accused, BusinessWorld reported.
Marcoleta, a key ally of Duterte-Carpio, was taken into custody by authorities following the anti-graft court's ruling. The plunder case, which involves allegations of misuse of public funds, also names three other individuals as co-accused. Details of the charges were not immediately disclosed.
The arrest comes at a critical time, as the Senate impeachment trial against the Vice-President was scheduled to commence later that day. Marcoleta's detention could affect the political dynamics of the trial, given his close ties to Duterte-Carpio.