By Aaron Recuenco
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it is confident that former congressman Mike Defensor will face human trafficking charges following the raid on a KTV bar and hotel in Pasig City.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag confirmed that the case against Defensor and other respondents will be filed on Friday, June 26, at the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office.
He stressed that investigators took time to build an airtight case to ensure conviction.
“We studied this thoroughly and it appears that Mike Defensor is included in the human trafficking that happened there,” Matibag said.
The raid at Chicago KTV and the adjacent Bleau Hotel in April rescued at least 54 women allegedly exploited as “customer care specialists.”
Investigators found structural modifications in the establishments designed to facilitate trafficking, including hidden entrances, converted rooms, and direct access between the KTV and hotel.
Documents and testimonies reportedly show Defensor’s awareness of these changes, as he sits as chairman of the company operating the establishments.
Matibag emphasized that the evidence is strong enough to guarantee conviction, dismissing claims of political motivation.
“It’s difficult to claim that this is politics because the documents are stating that Mike Defensor knowingly and consciously entered a human trafficking business,” he said.
The case underscores the government’s crackdown on trafficking operations, particularly those linked to establishments that once catered to former POGO sites.
