Duterte rejects talks with Jaybee Sebastian

JAYBEE SEBASTIAN

DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday rejected the idea of him talking with convicted kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian over the latter’s supposed information on the illegal drugs trade inside the prison.

“I do not talk to criminals. You can go to the fiscal or write a letter to Secretary (Perfecto) Yasay,” Mr. Duterte said.

Earlier, Sebastian’s lawyer, Eduardo Arriba said his client would only disclose what he knew of the illegal drugs trade in the Bilibid to Duterte because making it public may draw the ire of some previous and current government officials.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre had previously said that Sebastian would not want to testify at the Congressional hearing about the drug trade inside the Bilibid and was only willing to talk about the alleged food anomaly there.

Arriba said Sebastian also continues to worry about his security.

Sebastian and two other high-profile inmates were injured in what was reported to be a riot inside Building No. 14 on Wednesday.

But Duterte said Sebastian “asked for it.”

“You asked for it. Be careful of what you wish for or what you want because you might get it….There’s always the comeuppance and the law of karma. That is a very valid universal statement,” he said.