Ex-Rep. Barzaga Calls Detained Senator Marcoleta a 'Modern Filipino Hero'

Former Cavite Rep. Ranulfo "Kiko" Barzaga publicly called for the release of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta in a video statement shared September 13, 2026 by the Facebook page Masang Pilipino, describing the detained senator as a "modern Filipino hero."

Senator Marcoleta is a modern Filipino hero and even though he and many others like him are legally and politically persecuted for fighting for the Filipino people, we will continue to stand with him and together we will rebuild our nation in 2028.

The quote is attributed to Barzaga in the Facebook post. In the same video, he said, "To the Filipino people, Senator Marcoleta must be granted freedom," and argued that Marcoleta and others he described as similarly situated had faced legal and political persecution for advocating on behalf of Filipinos. Barzaga said his group would continue to stand by Marcoleta, framing the pledge around "rebuilding the nation" by 2028 — language that points toward a future political campaign.

Background

Marcoleta has been in detention since his July 6, 2026 arrest on a plunder charge filed by the Office of the Ombudsman, following a Sandiganbayan Third Division arrest warrant. The case centers on an alleged ₱75 million in undeclared campaign donations from the 2025 election period, which prosecutors say violated a law barring public officials from accepting undisclosed gifts connected to their office. Former Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor and two businessmen were arrested alongside him. Marcoleta is held at the Quezon City Jail in Payatas and has said the donations were lawful, characterizing the case against him as politically motivated.

Barzaga’s characterization of the case as persecution, and his description of Marcoleta as a "hero," are his own statements and have not been independently verified by PostNetNews. The underlying arrest and charges are documented in Sandiganbayan and Ombudsman filings reported by multiple news organizations.