He is the son of current Iloilo Governor and former congressman Arthur Defensor Sr. and Cosette Rivera.

Additionally, he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Santo Tomas and passed the Philippine Bar Examination in 2004.

[1] Before entering politics, Defensor worked as a legal officer at SMC Global Power Holdings Corporation.

[2] Defensor began his political career as a provincial board member representing the third district of Iloilo.

In February 2025, Defensor was named as a member of the House prosecution team for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.