New Bilibid Prisons (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
Convicted drug lord Peter Co on Monday said fellow inmate Jaybee Sebastian was behind the “centralized” drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) as well as the transfer of the “Bilibid 19” to the National Bureau of Investigation in 2014.
In his testimony during the House probe into drug proliferation in the NBP, Co said Sebastian had forced him and other Chinese inmates to give money for the senatorial run of then Justice Secretary Leila De Lima and join him in illegal drug operations inside the prison facility.
Co said Chinese inmates had given a total of P10 million for De Lima by 2012, and were asked to pay P100,000 weekly in 2013 by NBI deputy director Rafael Ragos until the term of former Bureau of Corrections director Francis Bucayu.
Co said he and gang leaders were summoned by Sebastian in his “kubol” in 2014, where De Lima was also present. Co said they were asked by Sebastian to contribute for De Lima’s campaign kitty and to help each other in selling drugs in the prison facility.
Co said those who refused to follow Sebastian’s order to participate in the drug trade were subjected to the December 2014 raid and transferred to the NBI.
“Lahat kami na hindi sumunod sa gusto ni Jaybee ay ginalugad ang aming mga ‘kubol’ at pagkatapos ay dinala sa National Bureau of Investigation at doon ikinulong ng ilang buwan. Hindi ko na ikinagulat na hindi nasali ang kubol ni Jaybee sa paggalugad. Hindi rin siya dinala sa NBI,” Co said in the translated affidavit.
“Alam ko rin na ang paggalugad sa aming mga ‘kubol’ at pagdala sa amin sa NBI ay kanyang paraan ng pagpaparating ng mensahe sa amin na ang hindi sumunod sa gusto niya na idaan ang lahat ng operasyon ng negosyo sa droga sa kanya ay kaya niyang ipalipat at ipatanggal ang espesyal na pribilehiyong tinatamasa sa loob ng Bilibid,” he added.
The 19 “VIP inmates” were moved to the NBI compound in 2014 after a raid that led to the discovery of contraband, including luxury items like Jacuzzi, in their headquarters. They were returned to the NBP last year but taken to Building 14, a secured and isolated facility.
Sebastian, who is being tagged by other witnesses as the one who raised money for De Lima’s campaign, was also transferred to Building 14, but Co said Jaybee’s transfer was only to avoid controversy amid increasing media attention.
Co said Sebastian remained powerful and influential in Building 14.
“Alam ko na napilitang gawin ito kay Jaybee dahil masyado nang nababantayan ng media ang mga drug lords sa Bilibid. Ngunit kahit nasa Building 14 na si Jaybee ay nanatili pa rin siyang makapangyarihan at takot pa rin sa kanya ang mga tauhan ng BuCor lalo na ang mga jail guards. Noong nasa Building 14 na kami, pinipilit akong muyli ni Jaybee na sumosyo sa kanya. Hindi pa rin ako pumayag,” he added./rga
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