Manila: House Prosecution panel spokesperson and impeachment trial adviser Robert Ace Barbers on Thursday clarified that the impending filing of a plunder case and the reported issuance of a warrant of arrest against Senator Rodante Marcoleta are entirely separate from the scheduled Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

According to Philippines News Agency, Barbers dismissed claims that the case against Marcoleta was part of a coordinated effort to prevent the senator from participating in the impeachment proceedings. The former Surigao del Norte lawmaker emphasized that the legal issues confronting the senator stem from matters that are independent of the impeachment case.

Barbers explained that the Office of the Ombudsman has made it clear that the complaint against Marcoleta originated from the senator's own admission of receiving PHP75 million from three 'friends' as campaign funds, which he allegedly failed to declare in both his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) and his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) during the May 2025 midterm elections.

Barbers expressed his respect for Marcoleta's opinion and reiterated the separation of the legal issues, stating, "Senator Marcoleta is my friend, but for me, personally, the case he is facing has nothing to do with the impeachment."

He further noted that the Office of the Ombudsman acted on information publicly disclosed by Marcoleta regarding the campaign funds he admitted receiving while serving as the representative of the Sagip Party-list. Barbers stressed that linking Marcoleta's legal predicament to the impeachment trial would be speculative and unsupported by the facts presented by the investigating authorities.

He concluded by reiterating that the Senate impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Duterte should not be confused with the legal issues confronting individual senators, and both processes should proceed independently and in accordance with the law.