Jaybee Sebastian wants to testify on food supply issue, not drug ties

Convicted kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian is already willing to talk before the House Committee on Justice but not about the drug proliferation inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Monday.

Sebastian, based on the testimonies of his fellow inmates, was said to have led the “fundraising” to support the senatorial bid of former Justice Secretary and now Senator Leila De Lima by requiring gang leaders to sell 20 to 30 kilos of shabu per month.

Aguirre said someone has informed him that Sebastian is willing to talk but only about the food supply anomaly causing P10-million monthly loss.

“He wants to testify that about P10million per month for the food supply is distributed to high officials in the government,” Aguirre said.

The justice chief said he rejected Sebastian’s offer and said they no longer need his testimony.

“Sa testimonial evidence lang, napakarami na kaya baka hindi na kailangan ang testimony ni Jaybee Sebastian (we have a lot of testimonies so I don’t think Jaybee Sebastian’s testimony is necessary). I don’t want [to present him as a witness] if hindi rin siya magsasabi ng buong katotohanan (if he wouldn’t tell the truth),” Aguirre said.

Should Sebastian be willing to tell all, Aguirre said the Department of Justice is not closing its doors on granting him immunity as the other inmate witnesses already presented in the probe, in spite of his participation in the NBP drug trade.

“With respect to immunity, nasa kanya yun, kung aamin sya… ‘pag ginawa niya (it’s up to him, if he would confess. If he does), we will consider it,” Aguirre said. RAM

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