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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcoleta's plunder co-accused Mike Defensor arrested in QC

Marcoleta's plunder co-accused Mike Defensor arrested in QC

Published Jul 6, 2026 01:03 pm
Former congressman Mike Defensor arrives at Camp Crame in Quezon City for his booking procedures. He was arrested in a coffee shop with another co-accused in a plunder case filed against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.
Former congressman Mike Defensor arrives at Camp Crame in Quezon City for his booking procedures. He was arrested in a coffee shop with another co-accused in a plunder case filed against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.
Former congressman Mike Defensor and another co-accused of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta in a plunder case were already arrested in a coffee shop in Quezon City a few hours after the arrest warrant was issued by the Sandiganbayan, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said.
Marcoleta was earlier placed under arrest while he and his lawyers were filing a motion to quash the plunder case before the Third Division of the Sandiganbayan on Monday morning.
Aside from Marcoleta and Defensor, also nabbed was businessman Joseph Espiritu. The third accused, Aristotle Viray, is now the subject of the operation of the police tracker teams.
The three co-accused were the ones who donated the P75 million to Marcoleta.
Remulla said both Defensor and Espiritu were brought by the police to the sandiganbayan for the return of arrest warrant and later taken to Camp Crame for their booking procedures. 
“After the processing, they will be brought to Quezon City Jail in Payatas for their detention," said Remulla.
Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said police tacker teams were already sent to the other accused in the plunder case, both in the Metro Manila and provincial addresses of Espiritu.
“It’s actually better to surrender, to surrender to the nearest police station or even here at Camp Crame,” said Nartatez.
It was Marcoleta who first underwent booking procedures at the CIDG headquarters at Camp Crame on Monday morning.

Related Tags

PNP Plunder Mike Defensor Rodante Marcoleta
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