Mike Defensor says he is ready to face expected NBI complaint

Former congressman Mike Defensor on Friday said he is ready to face the complaint that the National Bureau iof Investigation (NBI) is set to file against him for alleged involvement in human trafficking.

“Haharapin ko. At ako, naniniwala, ako wala siyang kakaso-kaso,” Defensor said in an ambush interview.

(I will face it. And I believe there is no case against me.)

“Sinasabi nila human trafficking as if isang prostitution den na tinatago mo, ginigipit ‘yung mga tao, iniipit mo. Nakita ninyo very open ‘yung area,” he added.

(They are calling it human trafficking as if it were a prostitution den that you are hiding, where people are being confined and exploited. You saw it, the area was very open.)

To recall, NBI agents raided the Chicago KTV Bar in Pasig City last April and rescued 54 women during the operation.

“‘Yung Cliffpoint, ‘yun ‘yung kumpanya na may ari nung establisyimento. So meron kang building, ikaw ‘yung may-ari, meron kang… mga leasy, mga nag rerenta ng lugar mo. Isa doon ‘yung KTV Chicago, andoon ‘yung 7/11, andoon ‘yung ibang opisina. May mga restaurants sa lugar na ‘yun,” Defensor said.

(The Cliffpoint is the company that owns the establishment. So you have the building, you are the owner, and you have tenants who rent space from you. One of them is KTV Chicago; there is also a 7-Eleven and other offices. There are also restaurants in that place.)

“Ibig sabihin pagka merong nagbenta ng shabu sa isa sa mga ‘yun kasama ka? Alam mo kung ano ‘yung nangyari? Notwithstanding kung ano ‘yung kaso na ifa-file nila doon sa mismong establishment ha,” he added.

On Thursday, NBI Director Melvin Matibag detailed the corporate shares and organizational positions held by Defensor and his wife in various companies to support its findings that the couple operated the establishments raided.

Matibag said Defensor was the chairman of Cliffpoint Development, which operates Cliffpoint Square where the raided KTV is located. He said Defensor also holds 65% of Pax Libera Mining, which holds 72.96% of Cliffpoint.

Meanwhile, he said Defensor's wife, Julie, was president of Cliffpoint and chairperson of Bleu Hotel, and their child was its corporate secretary.

Defensor, however, said that he did not see Matibag’s point as Pax Libera was a different company from Cliffpoint.

“Ano punto niya doon? So kapag may isang kumpanya may ari ng isang— ano punto niya doon? Ano ‘yung point. Hindi ko maintindihan. Alam mo, ‘yung pagkatanga niya, 'wag niya ibalik sa atin. Hindi ko maintindihan,” he said.

(What is his point there? So if a company owns a—what is his point there? What is the point? I don’t understand. You know, he should not project his stupidity onto us. I don’t understand.)

The former congressman said the complaint only seeks to silence them.

“Para kami ay makulong at matahimik (so that we will be silenced),” he said. — RSJ, GMA News