Sebastian denies being De Lima’s ‘favored’ drug lord

Witness Jaybee Sebastian testifies during the Congressional hearing and inquiry on illegal drug trade in National Bilibid Prison, October 10, 2016. INQUIRER / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

Kidnapping convict Jaybee Sebastian on Monday testified that he raised millions of campaign funds for Senator Leila De Lima from the illegal drug trade in the Bilibid when she was justice secretary.

During his testimony, Sebastian also denied reports that he was the favored drug lord of De Lima, pointing instead at another influential inmate, Herbert Colanggo, who was supposedly being protected by De Lima.

READ: Sebastian denies he’s an asset, seeks immunity in Bilibid probe

Sebastian said Colanggo was favored by De Lima because Colanggo’s girlfriend Ozamis City Mayor Nova Parojinog was a member of the Liberal Party.

“Gusto ko pong linawin at pasinungalingan ang mga balita at paratang na ako diumano ay untouchable at malakas kay Secretary De Lima. Ang totoo po ay si Colanggo ang siyang tunay na malakas sa BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) at kay DOJ (Department of Justice) Secretary De Lima (I want to clarify and deny the reports and accusations that I was allegedly untouchable and favored by Secretary De Lima. The truth is Colanggo is the favored drug lord by BuCor and DOJ Secretary De Lima),” Sebastian said.

In his affidavit, Sebastian said De Lima’s former aide Jonel Sanchez collected the payola for De Lima.

He said Sanchez, who now works for the Presidential Security Group, was also in a relationship with De Lima.

READ: Jaybee Sebastian, 2 other NBP ‘drug lords’ to appear in House 

This contradicted the previous testimonies of other witnesses who said it was De Lima’s former driver, Ronnie Dayan, who was the lady senator’s boyfriend. Sanchez also testified that he watched the two alleged sex videos of De Lima and Dayan.

Sebastian said he handed as much as P2 million payola to De Lima through Sanchez.

He said before Christmas on 2014, he was able to talk to De Lima over the phone who told him: “Jaybee, Merry Christmas.” Sebastian said he told De Lima: “Merry Christmas din po, Ma’am, natanggap niyo po ba ang regalo ko sayo (Did you receive my gift)?”

De Lima answered: “Yes, Jaybee, Merry Christmas,” Sebastian said.

Sebastian said he was asked to raise campaign funds for De Lima after the December 2014 raid in Bilibid.

Sebastian said he gave P2 million payola to De Lima. He said he was able to raise as much as P10 million from March to May 2015.

“Simula ng buwan ng Marso hanggang Mayo taong 2015, ako ay nakapagbigay ng kabuuhang halaga sampung milyong piso kay Jonel para sa pondo sa darating na eleksyon ni Sec. Leila De Lima hanggang sa sinabi niya sa akin na P5 million na ang monthly quota ko (From March to May 2015, I was able to give P10 million to Jonel for the campaign funds of Sec. Leila De Lima in the elections and he told me my monthly quota  is P5 million),” Sebastian said. RAM/rga