From VIP to ordinary inmate

Former policeman Rodolfo Magleo, who is serving time at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) for kidnapping, told probers at the House of Representatives that then Justice Secretary and now Sen. Leila de Lima went inside the kubol of inmate Jaybee Sebastian on at least two occasions and stayed there for hours on end.

If Magleo was telling the truth, what De Lima did was unspeakable; she was probably the only secretary of justice to do that.

It’s no wonder the NBP was like a Garden of Eden during De Lima’s time.

By the way, aside from talking about “business,” what did De Lima and Sebastian do

inside the latter’s hut?

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It’s Divine Providence Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte was elected President, otherwise this country would have become another “narco-state.”

Digong came just in time to save the country from becoming another Mexico or Colombia where judges, policemen and other officials are killed for incurring the ire of drug syndicates.

During the administration of President Noynoy, drug lords serving time at the NBP ran their syndicates from their cells and even ordered the execution of government officials who crossed them.

Here are the government officials and employees who were ambushed and killed for reportedly double-crossing some convicted drug lords: Assistant Corrections Director Rodrigo Mercado, Dr. Juan Villacorta of the NBP infirmary, Prison Supt. Francisco Abunales and prison guard Gerard Severo Donato.

Prison guard Ariel Bermoy survived an ambush ordered by one of the drug lord-inmates but was left paralyzed after being hit in the spine.

Director Franklin Bucayu of the Bureau of Corrections was so scared of the convicted drug lords, he never occupied his quarters at the NBP compound; he, too, allegedly double-crossed the drug lords.

I told then Justice Secretary De Lima why Bucayu hardly went to his office at the NBP main building based on what I was told by insiders.

I suggested to De Lima that Bucayu be replaced by retired prison Supt. Juanito Leopando who was both respected and feared by inmates when he was still in the service.

Now I know why she ignored the suggestion; she didn’t want to upset Sebastian.

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With all those high-profile NBP inmates testifying at the probe of the House justice committee that she was playing footsie with convicted drug lords, how can De Lima expect the citizenry to believe her?

All her accusations about human rights violations against President Digong now fall on deaf ears.

These accusations come from a desperate woman trying to cover up her past shenanigans.

Who would the citizenry now believe: the President who has ordered the execution of drug lords and pushers, or a senator who consorted with them when she was justice secretary?

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Jaybee Sebastian now feels like an ordinary convict.

Sebastian has only the 300 troopers of the Special Action Force to thank for making him realize he’s not a VIP but a prisoner.

Sebastian’s kubol, where he used to entertain important visitors and have sex with different women, has been demolished along with the huts of other VIP inmates.

Had another presidential candidate won, inmates at the New Bilibid Prison would continue to enjoy life in the Garden of Eden.