The National Bureau of Investigation is set to recommend the filing of human trafficking charges against former Congressman Mike Defensor in connection with a KTV bar linked to him that was raided earlier this year.

NBI Director Atty. Melvin Matibag said their investigation revealed that Defensor had personal knowledge of the activities inside the establishment.

"After nating pag-aralan yung kaso together with STG, NCR, lumalabas na talagang si Mike Defensor kasama rito and we will filing this case," Matibag said.

(After we studied the case together with STG and NCR, it turned out that Mike Defensor is really involved in this, and we will be filing this case.)

The NBI raided the KTV bar in April over alleged human trafficking activities on the premises. Records also showed that Defensor is the chairman of Cliffpoint Square, where the establishment is located.

Matibag said the investigation showed that Defensor's involvement went beyond that of an ordinary lessor.

"He has knowledge, he has personal knowledge hindi ordinary na nagpapa renta lang siya, alam niya lahat ang pangyayari and he has the one who consented to the design in order to cater doon sa kanilang plano na human trafficking," the NBI director said.

(He has knowledge, he has personal knowledge — he is not an ordinary lessor. He knew everything that was happening, and he was the one who consented to the design in order to cater to their human trafficking plan.)

The NBI also found that the establishment's actual structure deviated from the floor plan submitted to the Pasig City Engineering Office.

"So ano ang bottom line, chinange nila yung design para yung Chicago at Bleu hotel can perpetrate yung ginagawa nila na human trafficking at malinaw na yung ginagawa ni Mike Defensor kasama siya so hindi sila ordinary lessor at talagang pinagplanuhan yung gagawin they even violated the building code pagpapalit ng design ng walang paalam, so I notice na mayroon na silang sinagot doon may binabanggit silang tao na sinabi nila iyon ang pinagpasahan nila but wala man lang statement yung tao," Matibag said.

(So the bottom line is, they changed the design so that Chicago and Bleu hotel could perpetrate their human trafficking activities. It is clear that Mike Defensor is involved — they are not ordinary lessors. They planned everything. They even violated the building code by altering the design without permission. I also noticed they already gave a response mentioning a person they claim they transacted with, but that person has no statement on record.)

Matibag also announced that charges of solicitation would be filed against a certain Laurence Tan, who was among those arrested.

"Mayroon doong personality na nahuli si Mister Laurence Tan will be also filing sa kaniya ng crimes of solicitation iyon yata ang ating ipa-file diyan," he said.

(There is a certain personality who was caught — Mr. Laurence Tan — and we will also be filing charges of solicitation against him.)

The NBI chief denied that the case against Defensor was politically motivated.

"Well nakita niyo yung mga ebidensiya, malinaw yun mga ebidensiya natin, this is the very reason why we are putting out the evidence to the public so that the public can judge pulitika ba talaga ito or talagang may violation ba na ginawa," Matibag said.

(Well, you saw the evidence — our evidence is clear. This is the very reason why we are putting the evidence out to the public, so that the public can judge whether this is really political or whether there was truly a violation committed.)

For his part, Defensor denied the allegations in a video he posted online, saying all structural changes to the establishment were approved by the Pasig City building official under Mayor Vico Sotto.

"Yung mga sinasabi nilang istruktura, papaanong mangyayari yung istruktura ito'y lahat ini-approve ng Pasig City, inapprove ito ng building official sa ilalim ng ating butihing Mayor Vico Sotto kaya itong sinasabi nilang kalokohang iniba ko raw ang building plan ay wala pong katotohanan," Defensor said.

(As for what they are saying about the structure — how could that be, when everything was approved by Pasig City? It was approved by the building official under our good Mayor Vico Sotto. So this nonsense they are saying about me changing the building plan has no truth to it.)

Defensor also accused the NBI of failing to look into what he described as corruption allegations involving the bureau director's own wife.

"Ang NBI dapat ginagamit sa tama iyang mga kurapsyon, iyan ang dapat imbestigahan eh papaanong magkakaroon ng imbestigasyon na tama na hinihingi ng taumbayan kung ang asawa mismo ni Attorney Melvin Matibag akala mo kung sino bureau director lamang akala mo kung sino na siyang magsalita eh maging sa mga Senador, itong mga kalaban sa pulitika eh hindi niya maimbestigahan dahil mismong sila ay involve sa bilyong-bilyong kurapsyon sa flood control diyan sa San Pedro, Laguna," he said.

(The NBI should be used properly — corruption is what should be investigated. How can there be a proper investigation as the public demands when the wife of Attorney Melvin Matibag herself — acting as if the bureau director is someone great, speaking even to senators — those political enemies cannot be investigated because they themselves are involved in billions worth of corruption in flood control projects in San Pedro, Laguna.)

Despite the impending complaint, Defensor said he is prepared to face the charges the NBI intends to file against him.

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