The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday said the Filipino value of "utang na loob" cannot be invoked to justify the non-disclosure of millions of pesos received by a public official, as it defended its decision to file plunder charges against Senator Rodante Marcoleta.
The Ombudsman made the statement after filing a plunder case against Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan over his alleged non-disclosure of ₱75 million in campaign contributions.
In a statement, the Ombudsman said the decision to pursue the case was dictated by the evidence and its legal mandate.
“Today, we filed a plunder case against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan. This was not a decision made lightly or by choice,” the office said.
The Ombudsman said the evidence includes three cash donations amounting to P75 million that were allegedly not declared in Marcoleta's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) and Statement of Campaign Expenditures (SOCE).
“The evidence includes three cash donations totaling P75 million, undeclared in the senator's SALN and campaign finance reports. This leaves our office no discretion to look away,” it said.
The office added that Marcoleta has publicly acknowledged receiving the funds, leaving the courts to determine whether the undisputed facts amount to plunder and bribery.
“These facts are not in dispute; the senator has publicly confirmed receiving the money, and they can be stipulated at the onset of trial. What remains is a question of law: whether these undisputed facts constitute plunder and bribery,” it said.
The Ombudsman also addressed Marcoleta's invocation of the Filipino value of "utang na loob," stressing that while gratitude is deeply embedded in Filipino culture, it cannot override the duties of a public servant.
“In one of the admissions, Sen. Marcoleta mentioned the term 'utang na loob.' We honor 'utang na loob' as one of our culture's most beautiful values. It is a debt of gratitude between family, friends, and neighbors. But it has no place in public office,” the office said.
“A public servant owes no personal debt to any donor that supersedes what they owe the Filipino people,” it added.
The Ombudsman said using gratitude to explain undisclosed funds runs contrary to the country's anti-corruption laws.
“The moment gratitude is used to explain away P75 million in undisclosed money, it stops being 'utang na loob' and becomes exactly what our plunder and bribery laws were written to prevent,” it said.
The agency also underscored its obligation to enforce the law regardless of a person's position or popularity.
“We took an oath to enforce the law regardless of who is involved, and that oath does not waver for popularity, position, or personal relationships,” it said.
Amid public debate over the case, the Ombudsman called on the public to allow the judicial process to take its course.
“We recognize this case has stirred intense public debate, and we respect every citizen's right to an opinion, to rally, and to demand accountability, including from us. What we ask in return is what we ourselves commit to: let the facts and the law decide, not sentiment or fear,” it said.
The office likewise emphasized that Marcoleta continues to enjoy the presumption of innocence and has the full right to defend himself before the Sandiganbayan.
“We did not choose this fight. But when the law leaves no room for silence, silence is not an option,” the statement concluded.
The Ombudsman's statement came a day after members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) concluded protest gatherings in Manila and Quezon City in support of Marcoleta.
The alleged donations were received while Marcoleta was serving as the representative of the Social Amelioration and Genuine Intervention on Poverty (SAGIP) Party-list in the House of Representatives.
Marcoleta has denied any wrongdoing and described the charges as politically motivated. The senator claimed that the timing of the filing was intended to prevent him from participating in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which is scheduled to begin on July 6.
