It’s gaslighting time once more.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson called out Sen. Rodante Marcoleta Tuesday for claiming that his impending arrest over plunder charges is linked to the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Marcoleta claimed early Tuesday that the case against him had long been planned, citing Lacson’s remarks weeks earlier that nine more senators could be arrested and jailed.
“It’s gaslighting time once more. The mention of nine senators being possibly incarcerated was a hypothetical statement in the context of determining the base number to compute the constitutional requirement of 2/3 vote of all senators actively participating or not in the impeachment trial,” Lacson said.
In Filipino: Lacson, Tinuligsa ang Gaslighting ni Marcoleta sa Diumano’y ‘Planned Arrest’
Earlier this month, Lacson had voiced concern that the Supreme Court may need to intervene to address the possible “absurdity” of the Impeachment Court being reduced to a mere formality for acquittal if at least nine out of 24 Senator Judges were hypothetically detained and suspended as in the case of Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.
Yan na nga ang posibleng absurdity na mangyari, assuming na at least 9 senator-judges ang ma-suspend. The trial will be a mere formality for acquittal. I’d rather leave it to the wisdom of Court to come up with a practical necessity to intervene.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) June 16, 2026
“Ano ang saysay na impeachment trial kung 15 lang yung senator judges na present at pwedeng bumoto? Ano saysay? Sabi ko, formality na ang acquittal, bakit pa tayo mag-trial? So diyan dapat mag-intervene ng Korte Suprema (For what will the impeachment trial be for if only 15 senator judges can vote, and 16 votes are needed to convict? The trial could be reduced to a formality for acquittal. So the Supreme Court may need to intervene),” Lacson said in an interview on DZBB last June 18.
In a Facebook post early Tuesday, Marcoleta claimed the plunder case that the Office of the Ombudsman is preparing to file against him before the Sandiganbayan aims to stop him from exposing corruption and taking part in the impeachment trial which starts July 6.
According to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, the case against Marcoleta is “for resolution” and they are “about to file it already.” The case involves P75 million in gifts or donations that Marcoleta received from three individuals in January 2025 when he was a congressman.
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Lacson, Tinuligsa ang Gaslighting ni Marcoleta sa Diumano’y ‘Planned Arrest’
Panahon na naman ng gaslighting.
Ganito ang pagtuligsa ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes kay Sen. Rodante Marcoleta dahil sa bintang nitong may kaugnayan ang nakaambang pag-aresto sa kanya at ang kasong plunder sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Ani Marcoleta nitong Martes, matagal nang planado ang kasong isinampa laban sa kanya, at binanggit ang naging pahayag ni Lacson ilang linggo na ang nakalipas na maaari umanong maaresto at makulong pa ang siyam na iba pang senador.
“It’s gaslighting time once more. The mention of nine senators being possibly incarcerated was a hypothetical statement in the context of determining the base number to compute the constitutional requirement of 2/3 vote of all senators actively participating or not in the impeachment trial,” giit ni Lacson.
Nagpahayag noon si Lacson ng pangamba na maaaring kailanganing mamagitan ang Korte Suprema upang tugunan ang posibleng “absurdity” na mauwi sa isang pormalidad na lamang para sa acquittal ang Impeachment Court kung sakaling hindi bababa sa siyam sa 24 na senator-judges ang hypothetical na makulong at masuspinde, gaya ng nangyari noon kay Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.
“Ano ang saysay na impeachment trial kung 15 lang yung senator judges na present at pwedeng bumoto? Ano saysay? Sabi ko, formality na ang acquittal, bakit pa tayo mag-trial? So diyan dapat mag-intervene ng Korte Suprema,” ani Lacson sa panayam sa DZBB noong Hunyo 18.
Sa isang Facebook post nitong Martes, sinabi ni Marcoleta na ang kasong plunder na inihahanda nang ihain ng Office of the Ombudsman laban sa kanya sa Sandiganbayan ay naglalayong pigilan siya sa paglalantad ng katiwalian at sa paglahok sa impeachment trial na magsisimula sa Hulyo 6.
Ayon kay Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, ang kaso laban kay Marcoleta ay “for resolution” na at ihahain na nila. Ang kaso ay may kaugnayan sa P75 milyong halaga ng mga regalo o donasyong tinanggap umano ni Marcoleta mula sa tatlong indibidwal noong Enero 2025, noong siya ay kongresista pa.
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