MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday filed qualified human trafficking charges against former Rep. Mike Defensor and his wife, Julie Defensor, before the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office.
The case stemmed from allegedly being connected to the Chicago KTV bar and Bleu Hotel in Pasig City, where human trafficking activities against over 50 women supposedly took place.
NBI agents arrived at the Pasig City Prosecutor’s Office around 5 p.m. to file the qualified human trafficking case, which is a nonbailable offense.
READ: Matibag: Human trafficking evidence vs. Defensor ‘strong’
Meanwhile, the NBI also lodged charges for “Acts that Promote Trafficking in Persons” in violation of Section 5(a) of Republic Act (RA) No. 9208, as amended by RA No. 10364 and RA No. 11862 against Defensor and his wife for being the chairperson and president, respectively, of the Cliffpoint Development Corp., which operates Cliffpoint Square, the compound where the Chicago KTV bar and Bleu Hotel are located.
Also served as respondents of this are the Defensor couple’s daughter, Michaela, for being the corporate secretary of Cliffpoint, as well as two directors and the treasurer of the corporation.
Aside from this, charges for “Acts that Promote Trafficking in Persons” in violation of Section 5(a) of RA No. 9208, were filed against Julie for being the chairperson and president of the Zerrin Development Corporation that operates the Bleu Hotel and their son, Miguel Gabriel, for being the treasurer of the corporation.
Meanwhile, the bureau also lodged charges for “Use of Trafficked Persons” under Section 11 of RA No. 9208, against Wack Wack Golf and Country Club president Lawrence Tan, whom NBI Director Melvin Matibag earlier said was caught during the raid of the NBI agents at the KTV bar last April.
It was on Wednesday when Matibag announced the filing of the case against Defensor, asserting that he knew about the supposed sexual exploitation activities happening in the Chicago KTV bar and Bleu Hotel.
He also said that Defensor approved the supposed secret structure changes at the building to “perpetrate human trafficking activities.”
Defensor has since denied the human trafficking allegations.
He argued that there is “no truth” that they were involved in any sexual exploitation activities and called it “politically motivated.”
The former congressman said he is ready to face the charges that will be filed against him.
Last April 21, the NBI raided the KTV bar over alleged sexual exploitation involving more than 50 women victims who were supposedly made to work as “customer care assistants” in exchange for a fee of around P15,000. /mr /jpv