A human trafficking complaint against former congressman Mike Defensor will be lodged Friday before the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office, the National Bureau of Investigation announced, marking the latest move in a probe tied to a KTV bar where dozens of women were allegedly sexually exploited.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag pointed to material gathered during the agency’s investigation that, he said, ties Defensor to how the establishment was run. Investigators concluded the former lawmaker had knowledge of the reported trafficking taking place inside.
“It appears Mike Defensor was indeed involved in this matter,” Matibag said, noting that investigators believe he knew about the alleged operations inside the establishment.
Beyond the trafficking allegation, the bureau flagged breaches of the National Building Code after reviewing the property’s floor plan. Investigators contend that Defensor approved structural changes that helped enable the alleged exploitation, citing concealed doors, hidden stairways, and private rooms built into the layout.
The case extends to two of his family members. The NBI brought related charges against his wife, Julie Rose Defensor, and their son, Miguel Gabriel Defensor, over the same establishment.
For his part, Defensor has rejected the accusations, describing them as “politically motivated.”
