Mike Defensor arrested for plunder
MANILA, Philippines — Former AnaKalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor was arrested by the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday for plunder, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced.
Aside from the ex-congressman, police have also arrested businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray, the two other co-accused with Senator Rodante Marcoleta in a non-bailable plunder case involving the alleged non-disclosure of P75 million in campaign donations during the last elections.
READ: P75-M plunder case filed vs Marcoleta, 3 ‘friends’
In a briefing around 12:20 p.m., Remulla said Defensor and Espiritu were arrested “minuted ago” while they were conversing and having coffee at a Starbucks branch in Quezon City.
After undergoing booking procedures at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) building in Camp Crame, Quezon City, and the return of warrant at the Sandiganbayan, Defensor and the businessman were committed to the New Quezon City Jail in Payatas, Quezon City.
Meanwhile, Viray was apprehended around 6:45 p.m. at a gasoline station along Boni Serrano Avenue in Quezon City, PNP Spokesperson PCol. Allen Rae Co confirmed in a Viber message to the INQUIRER.
Co also shared a mugshot of Viray, which is part of the booking procedures following the arrest.
UPDATE: Businessman Aristotle Viray, co-accused of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta in a plunder case involving a supposed P75 million undeclared campaign donations, has also already been arrested by the PNP-CIDG. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/dQegcxLvmr
— MJ Salcedo (@MJSalcedoINQ) July 6, 2026
The plunder case against Defensor was filed by the Office of the Ombudsman at the Sandiganbayan and raffled to the latter’s Third Division on Friday morning.
READ: Mike Defensor ‘no-show’ at NBI, calls subpoena ‘harassment’
This stemmed from a P75-million donation Defensor made with donors Aristotle Viray and Espiritu to Marcoleta when the latter was a congressman before his 2025 senatorial bid. —WITH A REPORT FROM JASON SIGALES /mr/dp/cb
