Witness Jaybee Sebastian testifies during the Congressional hearing and inquiry on illegal drug trade in National Bilibid Prison, October 10, 2016. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA/Philippine Daily Inquirer
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Tuesday said the testimony of convict Jaybee Sebastian during the House probe into drug proliferation in the New Bilibid Prison was a combination of truths and lies.
While saying that he was surprised with how Sebastian responded to lawmakers, Aguirre said portions of his testimony were not believable, including his statement that he did not know Sen. Leila de Lima’s former driver and alleged bagman Ronnie Dayan.
“Nagulat ako sa testimony ni Jaybee Sebastian. Bukod sa matalino,mabilis magsalita, talagang sinabi nya yung kanyang nalalaman, but ‘di ko sya tinaggap bilang isang binigyan ng immunity (under the witness protection program) sapagkat akoy naniniwala na di pa rin nya siniwalat yung buong katotohanan,” Aguirre said in an INQ&A interview.
“Halimbawa very clear ito, sinabi ni Jaybee na ‘di n’ya kilala si Ronnie Dayan, eh paano di magkakakilala yan samantalang limang taong driver-security guard ni Justice Secretary si Ronnie Dayan kaya imposibleng di nya malaman,” he added.
In his testimony, Sebastian, who was being tagged as the one who supposedly raised funds for De Lima’s campaign in the NBP, said he did not know Dayan and only dealt with De Lima’s former security aide Joenel Sanchez. Sebastian said he gave De Lima through Sanchez a total of P10 million in drug money.
“Di ko po malaman ano ang kanyang play pero nagtataka naman ako na talagang he named Dec. De Lima sa protector ng mga illegal drug traders sa loob ng bilibid. Sinabi din nya na sa 5 beses na pagkakataon na binigyan nya ng total na 10M si De Lima kaya talagang pinaghalo nya yung totoo at di totoo,” Aguirre said.
Contrary to De Lima’s claims, Aguirre said Sebastian could not be a government asset as he was the closest drug lord to the former justice secretary and the most powerful dealer in the prison facility.
Aguirre said the December 2014 raid in the NBP that led to the transfer of the “Bilibid 19” to the National Bureau of Investigation was done so that Sebastian could control and monopolize the drug trade in the national penitentiary.
De Lima, Sebastian, Dayan and four others were charged with an illegal drugs case on Tuesday by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption before the DOJ over allegations of conspiracy and drug sale in the Bilibid.