Bonds and Backroom Deals: The Marcoleta Saga of Corruption and Cover-Ups

From Senate Spotlight to Scandalous Shadows

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — September 29, 2025

Opening Act: A Scandal So Brazen It Begs for a Spotlight

He crusades against corruption by day,but his wife’s corporate paychecks fund his life by night. For this senator, the anti-graft inquiry isn’t a public duty—it’s a carefully staged performance to protect his private fiefdom.

Welcome to the sordid spectacle of Senator Rodante Marcoleta and his wife Edna, where the stench of conflict of interest could choke Manila Bay’s foulest tides. Is this a mere blip in Philippine politics, or a masterfully orchestrated conspiracy? Buckle up—this drama’s about to explode with a vengeance.

The Unbelievable “Coincidence” That Screams Collusion

Let’s wade into the cesspool. It’s 2025, and the Philippines is drowning—not just in floods but in a torrent of treachery. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has funneled billions into ghost flood control projects, leaving communities submerged and corrupt wallets overflowing.

At the heart of this scam are Curlee and Sara Discaya, the Bonnie and Clyde of bogus contractors, whose firms—Alpha & Omega, Elite General Contractor, St. Gerrard, St. Matthew, and St. Timothy—amassed a jaw-dropping ₱180 billion in deposits from 2016 to 2025 [Bilyonaryo].

But here’s the kicker: a 2022 notarized acknowledgment shows Sara Discaya cozying up to Stronghold Insurance Co., Inc. for a bond [Bilyonaryo]. And who’s perched as an independent director and audit committee chair at Stronghold? None other than Edna Marcoleta, the senator’s better half. Pure coincidence, you say?

Hold your breath—the plot thickens. Corporate filings from 2023 reveal Edna also gracing the board of Milestone Guaranty and Assurance, which issued a ₱19.29 million bond for a ₱192.9 million “road dike” in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro—a project so real it vanished into the ether, flagged as non-existent by Senate investigators [Bilyonaryo].

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, with the exasperation of a man chasing phantoms, demanded, “Where is the almost ₱193 million peso fund?” [Bilyonaryo]. Spoiler: it’s not in Naujan, unless floodwaters now accept cryptocurrency.

But the real bombshell? Senator Rodante Marcoleta, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s self-styled avenger, is grilling DPWH officials while championing the Discayas’ inclusion in the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program (WPP). Lacson called him out in a fiery exchange: “Why are you so protective of the Discayas?!” Marcoleta’s retort? A melodramatic denial, demanding it be recorded for posterity [Bilyonaryo].

Yet, while he plays justice warrior, his wife’s companies are bonding the very contractors under his lens. Marcoleta even chaired the committee when the Discayas dropped an affidavit implicating DPWH officials and lawmakers—before Lacson replaced him [Bilyonaryo]. Was he chasing truth, or shielding Edna’s corporate cronies? This “coincidence” reeks of a script penned in a smoky Malacañang backroom.

Legal Slaughterhouse: Dismantling the Marcoletas’ House of Cards

Forget the tepid “appearance of impropriety”—this is corruption flashing in neon, and the law is our guillotine. Republic Act No. 3019 (RA 3019), the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Section 3(h), bans public officials from having “direct or indirect financial or pecuniary interest” in transactions they influence in their official capacity [Official Gazette].

Edna’s board seats at Stronghold and Milestone, which bonded Discaya’s ghost projects, scream conflict louder than a Divisoria megaphone. The Supreme Court in Pascual v. Secretary of Public Works (1960) ruled that conflicts erode public trust, even without proven corruption [LawPhil]. In Estrada v. Sandiganbayan (2001), the Court hammered home that the mere appearance of impropriety betrays the public [LawPhil]. Sorry, Senator—your wife’s corporate gigs aren’t just bad optics; they’re a potential prima facie case.

Let’s torch their predictable defenses with a flamethrower of sarcasm:

“She’s just an independent director!”
- Oh, please. Edna chairs Stronghold’s audit committee—was she auditing the buffet spread, or the bonds issued to the Discayas? Republic Act No. 6713 (RA 6713), the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, Section 7(a), prohibits officials and their spouses from financial interests in transactions tied to their duties [Official Gazette].A ₱19.29 million bond for a ghost project isn’t chump change. What was Edna overseeing, the quality of the caviar at the ribbon-cutting?
- A ₱19.29 million bond for a ghost project isn’t chump change. What was Edna overseeing, the quality of the caviar at the ribbon-cutting?
“No direct benefit!”
- Cute, but RA 3019 covers indirect interests, like influence or access. In Teves v. Sandiganbayan (2004), the Supreme Court affirmed the conviction of a mayor for using his office to advance the interests of a business tied to his family, a violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act [LawPhil].
- Edna’s board fees or clout with insurers linked to flood control scams reek of indirect gain. Her tie to the Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc., during Marcoleta’s congressional tenure? That’s not independence—it’s a political power flex [Bilyonaryo].
“Legislative immunity!”
- Sure, Article VI, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution shields Senate speeches [Official Gazette]. But does it cover off-floor coordination with Edna’s business pals? The Supreme Court in Funa v. Agra (2013) slammed dual roles creating conflicts, even without direct corruption [LawPhil].
- Marcoleta’s WPP push for the Discayas, tied to his wife’s companies, isn’t immune—it’s indictable.

RA 6713, Section 4(a), demands prioritizing public interest, while Article XI, Section 1 of the Constitution declares public office a public trust [Official Gazette]. Marcoleta’s failure to recuse himself from the probe, despite Edna’s ties, spits on both. His silence when questioned about the conflict? That’s RA 6713, Section 4(c), on public responsiveness, tossed into the Pasig River [Official Gazette].

This isn’t just unethical—it’s a legal house of cards teetering on collapse.

The “Protective” Senator’s Oscar-Worthy Charade

Cue the Senate spotlight on Marcoleta, the self-anointed slayer of corruption, grilling DPWH officials with righteous fury. But Lacson’s bombshell—”Why are you so protective of the Discayas?!”—rips through the facade like a typhoon through a shanty [Bilyonaryo].

Marcoleta’s response? A melodramatic “Can we have this recorded?!” As if the stenographer could erase the stench of bias. His push for the Discayas’ WPP entry, while chairing the committee, looks less like justice and more like a shield for Edna’s corporate allies [Bilyonaryo].

With the Discayas’ state witness bid under Republic Act No. 6981 (RA 6981), the Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act, still pending, their testimony could conveniently sidestep the insurers’ role [Official Gazette].

Coincidence, or a masterclass in political puppetry? The audience isn’t buying this performance.

Reckoning and Rebellion: The Fallout and the Fight Ahead

So, what’s next in this cesspool of a scandal? Politically, the Senate Ethics Committee, that perennial snooze-fest, might twitch—but don’t hold your breath. Marcoleta’s replacement by Lacson signals his peers smell the rot, yet will they censure him, or bury this with the other skeletons in the Senate’s closet?

Legally, the Office of the Ombudsman should be swamped with complaints demanding a Sandiganbayan probe under RA 3019 [Ombudsman]. Marcoleta must recuse himself from all related probes—yesterday. A forensic audit of Stronghold and Milestone’s bond deals is non-negotiable, tracing every peso of the Discayas’ ₱180 billion empire [Bilyonaryo].

The public, battered by floods and betrayed by ghost projects, deserves answers—not Marcoleta’s silence. Demand full transparency: every cent Edna earned, every board meeting she attended, every call Rodante made. The Filipino people aren’t just spectators in this thriller—they’re the victims.

If the Marcoletas think legalistic dodges will save them, they’re delusional. The court of public opinion is in session, and the verdict looms. Will it be justice, or another chapter in the Philippines’ endless corruption epic? The floodwaters are rising—time to drain the swamp.

Kweba ni Barok out.