Mike Defensor

Defensor was elected as a Quezon City councilor in the 1992 elections at the age of 23, making him the youngest member of that body.

Defensor ran for congressman of the third district of Quezon City in the 1995 election, subsequently winning. He won reelection in 1998.

Defensor was part of the Spice Boys of the House of Representatives that spearheaded the filing of the impeachment case against then-president Joseph Estrada.

After Edsa II, Defensor was appointed as Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He held that post until August 2004 when he was appointed Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

In the 2004 presidential election, he served as the official campaign spokesperson of President Arroyo. After his tenure as DENR Secretary he was appointed Presidential Chief of Staff. He resigned that post on February 10, 2007 to campaign for a post in the senate.

In June 2008 he was appointed head of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport International Passenger Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) by virtue of the June 9, Executive Order No. 732 (creating the Presidential Task Force on the NAIA-3 that was "mandated to ensure the immediate opening and operation of Terminal III.") The order provides for the NAIA-3 opening based on decisions of the Supreme Court and applicable laws.[3]

On October 9, 2008, Defensor was named acting chairman of the Philippine National Railways (PNR).[4][5]

Defensor was among the first to file for candidacy for the senate on February 12, 2007. He employed popular gossip show host Boy Abunda as his campaign manager.

Mike Defensor, on July 4, 2008 filed 6-page perjury lawsuit Friday versus Rodolfo Noel Lozada for "testifying under oath that he had paid Lozada ₱50,000 to change his statement that he was not kidnapped at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) when he arrived from Hong Kong at the height of the Philippine National Broadband Network controversy (ZTE Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Company Limited scandal)."[6]

Defensor was one of the vocal opponents against the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, together with SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta and Cavite Seventh District Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla. He was one of the 70 congressmen who voted "yes" to "kill" (deny) the franchise renewal, in favor of the report from the Technical Working Group. After claiming continuous victory, Defensor inititiated an online forum via Zoom and streamed live on Facebook[7] along with Marcoleta, Remulla, Yedda Romualdez, Journalie Payonan, Danilo Fernandez, Jonathan Sy-Alvarado, Inno Dy and Alfred delos Santos to discuss the fate of ABS-CBN. On July 18, 2020, they discussed the potential takeover of the ill-fated network due to alleged tampered torrens title, fine for the alleged illegal sale of ABS-CBN TV Plus for almost ₱2 trillion , and the total closure of Sky Cable as suggested by Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte. Meanwhile, pro-ABS-CBN advocate Christine Bersola-Babao slammed the forum and called the congresspersons as "evil", and Senate President Tito Sotto slammed the possible takeover of ABS-CBN by calling the compound as constitutionally protected.[8]

On December 4, 2007, Mike Defensor quietly joined / was nominated to the board of directors of Petron Corporation (with former budget secretary Emilia Boncodin). Defensor had been frequenting Macau. Boncodin stated that Mike was invited to the board by Nicasio Alcantara, government's team head / Chair, Petron. Membership in the Petron board is a lucrative job, as Defensor was offered a board seat in sequestered United Coconut Planters Bank. Defeated administration candidate, former senator Ralph Recto joined the board of Union Bank, controlled by the Aboitiz family.[9]