Bilibid gang leaders further link De Lima to drug trade

Bilibid Gang leader Jaime Patcho testifies before the Congress Committee on Justice hearing on the alleged drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison. RICHARD A. REYES/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

Two more gang leaders on Wednesday further pinned down Senator Leila De Lima whom they accused of ordering alleged drug lord Jaybee Sebastian to sell drugs at the New Bilibid Prison to raise funds for her senatorial campaign kitty.

READ: Cons pin down De Lima

During the second day of the House of Representatives justice committee inquiry over the proliferation of drugs at the national penitentiary, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre presented inmates Noel Martinez and Jaime Patcho.

Martinez, commander of the Genuine Ilocano Group, testified that he was asked by Sebastian to allow his group to sell drugs.

Martinez said Sebastian even personally asked him to sell drugs to raise funds for De Lima’s senatorial campaign.

“Kinausap ako ni Jaybee Sebastian para maglikom ng pondo para sa kandidatura ni De Lima. Dapat magbenta kami sa mga lider ng pangkat para malaki ‘yung malikom (Jaybee Sebastian talked to me so we can collect more funds for the candidacy of De Lima. He told us to sell to the leaders of the different groups so we can make more money),” Martinez said.

Martinez said the group declined, and that he only served to recommend drug dealers for Sebastian.

Martinez said he saw De Lima visit the Bilibid three to four times and saw her visit Sebastian’s “kubol.”

Martinez said he personally met De Lima in Jan. 2013 when Sebastian introduced the then Justice secretary to the gang leaders.

Meanwhile, Patcho, leader of the gang Commando, said Sebastian talked to him for help in raising campaign funds for De Lima.

Patcho said he saw De Lima at least twice at the Bilibid heading for the house of Sebastian.

READ: ‘So evil,’ De Lima says of reports linking her to drugs

“Dalawang beses po. Naglalakad lang po siya papunta sa tinatawag naming bahay na bato ni Jaybee Sebastian ((I’ve seen her twice. Once was when she was walking to the concrete house of Jaybee Sebastian),” Patcho said.

“Sa nakikita ko po talagang napakalakas niya. Sa dami namin du’n, bakit sa kaniya lang pupunta (I saw how influential he is. Many of us were there, but why would she visit only him)?” Patcho said.

Patcho said he sold drugs for Sebastian whose orders he said are taken as law at the national penitentiary.

“Boses ni Jaybee, parang batas dahil sa nakikita namin na napakalakas niya. Si Sec. Leila De Lima kasi nakikita ko po ‘pag pumasok sa maximum security compound, dun pumupunta kay Jaybee po,” Patcho said.

(Jaybee’s word is taken as law; that’s how influential he is. Every time I see Sec. Leila de Lima go inside the maximum security compound, she would only visit Jaybee.) IDL