Detained Sen. Rodante Marcoleta on Tuesday explained the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC)’s silence over his imprisonment, saying that the Church’s lack of reaction or comment must not be construed as ‘indifference, weakness, or diminished resolve.’
According to the senator, ‘the INC is under no obligation to publicly react to, or even comment on, the deprivation of my liberty simply because the matter is now pending before the courts of law.’
‘Any open pronouncement must yield to orderly administration of justice and proper resolution of the case through established judicial procedures,’ he added in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
He said he issued the statement to ‘dispel the notion’ circulating on social media that the INC’s silence reflects its position on his imprisonment.
Marcoleta, a prominent member of the INC, said the Church recognizes that its members, regardless of stature, are not exempt from persecution and hardship, citing biblical accounts in which believers endured trials that tested their faith.
He said the INC has therefore long been accustomed to facing criticism and attacks from its detractors.
Citing the saying that ‘the tree is stoned for its fruits,’ Marcoleta described the challenges faced by the Church and its members as trials that test an individual’s conviction and integrity.
Marcoleta has been detained over a plunder case stemming from an alleged P75 million campaign donation he received while serving as a party-list representative.
In June, the INC conducted a three-day protest in support of the senator around the time Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that the Office of the Ombudsman was set to file a non-bailable plunder case against Marcoleta before the Sandiganbayan
On the third day, the church’s leaders said they had already conveyed their message to government authorities over what they described as ‘selective justice’ in the then-impending plunder case against the lawmaker.
The INC also endorsed Marcoleta during the 2025 elections.