Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Article (news)

Kaxandra Salonga, ABS-CBN News

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Former Anakalusugan Party-List Rep. Mike Defensor and businessman Joseph Espiritu appeared at the Sandiganbayan for their return of warrant after the court ordered their arrest earlier Friday.</p><p>The two are among Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s alleged campaign donors and are his co-accused in plunder over the alleged non-disclosure of P75 million in campaign funds.</p><p>The Department of the Interior and Local Government earlier said Defensor had been arrested but Defensor said in a message to ABS-CBN News that he had surrendered.</p><p>“Yung mga nakulong yung mga nagsasalita. Yung mga korap, wala pa ring nakukulong hanggang ngayon,” Defensor told reporters in an ambush interview.</p><p>(Those who speak up are being jailed. None of the corrupt have been arrested until now.)</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2074024571020382478&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-07-06T07%3A46%3A33.107207%3A72d81464-84da-429e-99ff-e244c7b583e6%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=09f4f89eab360455439a13151f3a2532a689474c&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:490px;height:639px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2074024571020382478"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Marcoleta left the Sandiganbayan premises at 11 a.m. for booking procedures at Camp Crame.</p><p>He will undergo a two-day medical evaluation at the PNP General Hospital.</p><p>Marcoleta and his co-respondents are set to be committed to the Quezon City Jail in Payatas, where Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and former Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. are detained on cases related to corruption in flood-control projects.</p>

<p>Former Anakalusugan Party-List Rep. Mike Defensor and businessman Joseph Espiritu appeared at the Sandiganbayan for their return of warrant after the court ordered their arrest earlier Friday.</p>

Former Anakalusugan Party-List Rep. Mike Defensor and businessman Joseph Espiritu appeared at the Sandiganbayan for their return of warrant after the court ordered their arrest earlier Friday.

Defensor, co-accused businessman appear at Sandiganbayan for return of warrant

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Defensor, co-accused businessman appear at Sandiganbayan for return of warrant

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 06, 2026 03:12 PM PHT

Read More:

Mike Defensor

Sandiganbayan

Joseph Espiritu

Rodante Marcoleta

Campaign donations

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.