Former Anakalusugan Representative Mike Defensor and businessman Joseph Espiritu were arrested on Monday, July 6, 2026, in connection with a plunder case involving P75 million in campaign donations linked to Senator Rodante Marcoleta.
Arrest Details
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced at a press conference that Defensor and Espiritu were apprehended inside a coffee shop in Quezon City just hours after Marcoleta was arrested earlier that day. The two were brought to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) office at Camp Crame in Quezon City for booking procedures. Marcoleta was also undergoing pre-detention procedures at the same facility.
Defensor and Espiritu are set to be transferred to the Quezon City Jail in Payatas, where they will be detained under the order of the Sandiganbayan's Third Division.
Marcoleta's Medical Examination
Marcoleta, 72, was temporarily taken to the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital for a medical examination due to his age. Remulla stated, “He is now undergoing medical procedures. Senator Marcoleta is 72 years old. It's not just a simple blood pressure and heartbeat check. He will undergo several tests like ECG and others to ensure his fitness. We don't know when it will be completed, but hopefully within the next two days, all examinations will be done so we can report to the Sandiganbayan that he is fit to be placed as a person deprived of liberty (PDL) at the Quezon City Jail. That is where his confinement order is, in Payatas.”
Remulla added, “His mugshot will be released shortly, but he still has many procedures to go through. I must remind everyone we are not here to humiliate anyone. Whatever his hair condition is, we will not shame him. His picture will be taken as he appears in public. We are here to arrest him and have him tried, but not to humiliate him. He still has his rights.”
Marcoleta's Response
In an interview after his arrest, Marcoleta pledged to respect the law and court processes. He was arrested after filing a motion to quash the plunder case against him at the Sandiganbayan.
Defensor's Statement
In a social media post, Defensor maintained that despite the charges aimed at silencing them, they would continue to fight government corruption. “We who fight corruption are the ones imprisoned first in a baseless case. With our imprisonment, we can no longer speak out against corruption; we only want truth, transparency, accountability, and justice. We were imprisoned before the real thieves of the nation's coffers. You can imprison us and silence us, but we will not give up,” Defensor said.
Origin of the Case
The case stems from Marcoleta's own public admission that he received P30 million from Defensor, P25 million from Espiritu, and P20 million from another businessman, Aristotle Viray. Marcoleta has denied wrongdoing and maintained that the donations were legal, claiming the charges are politically motivated.
The Office of the Ombudsman charged Marcoleta and his three co-accused with one count each of plunder and violation of Presidential Decree 46, which prohibits government officials from receiving gifts related to their duties.
