Colangco: Security aide Sanchez is De Lima’s bagman

Convicted robber Herbert Colangco on Tuesday said Sen. Leila de Lima’s security aide served as her bagman, who he said delivered drug money to the former justice secretary for her senatorial bid.

On Tuesday’s House probe into the proliferation of drugs in the New Bilibid Prisons, Colangco identified the aide and alleged bagman as one Jonel Sanchez.

“Ang trabaho po ni Jonel ay security aide, pero sa pagkakakilala ko, tagakuha siya ng pera ni Sec. De Lima… Close po sila at lagi po siya sa DOJ,” Colangco said.

(Jonel is a security aide, but as far as I know, he is De Lima’s bagman…They are close and [Jonel] is always at the DOJ.)

Colangco said Sanchez also ordered him to collect about 30 to 50 kilos of shabu from big-time Chinese drug lords in the national penitentiary, the proceeds of which were supposedly used for De Lima’s campaign kitty.

Colangco said De Lima, through Sanchez, also received at least P1 million per month since October 2013, including kickbacks from the sale of beer during his concerts inside the prison facility. He said one case of beer, worth P700 outside, was being sold at P10,000 each inside the Bilibid.

“Naipasok po ‘yun dahil sa basbas ni De Lima,” he said.

(Those enter the Bilibid premises through De Lima’s blessing.)

READ: 1st witness testifies De Lima got millions from drug lord

Colangco said Sanchez would often ask for additional money despite the amount he had been getting, claiming they have receipts of their transactions in money transfers.

Asked for further details about Sanchez’s identity, Colangco said it was his talent manager who dealt with the alleged bagman. He said Sanchez also negotiated with kidnap-for-ransom convict Jaybee Sebastian, who he called as the biggest drug lord in NBP, to raise funds for De Lima’s senatorial bid. CDG

READ: House panel chair says Bilibid probe not about De Lima