Senator Rodante Marcoleta was transferred earlier today to the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory after the UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) said he no longer needed to remain confined at the hospital.

However, he will still remain in isolation.

Senator Rodante Marcoleta no longer has mild pneumonia.

This was confirmed by UP-PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi during the hearing of the Sandiganbayan Third Division earlier, where the senator also personally appeared in court.

Director Legaspi testified and was asked by the court about the results of the health examination conducted on the lawmaker yesterday.

According to Legaspi:

"Normal ang vital signs: bumaba na ang blood pressure, kumpleto ang blood count, walang sign ng infection, pero mayroon itong prostate enlargement na normal sa kanyang edad."

(His vital signs are normal: his blood pressure is going down, his blood count is complete, there is no sign of infection, but he has prostate enlargement, which is normal for his age.)

After the hearing, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) immediately brought the lawmaker to the detention facility in Payatas.

Although he no longer needs to stay in the hospital, UP-PGH's recommendation is that he should first be kept in isolation because of his health condition.

The court ordered that he be isolated first in a detention cell and that he cannot be transferred without a court order or permission.

Meanwhile, Marcoleta's co-accused in the plunder case former Congressman Mike Defensor and businessmen Aristotle Viray and Joseph Espiritu appeared with him before the Sandiganbayan.

Since the three had no pending motions before the court, their arraignment was carried out.

The three accused entered a not guilty plea.

Senator Marcoleta has not yet been arraigned due to his pending motion to quash.

‍