Aguirre to Sebastian: Tell all, for protection

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has warned high-profile convict Jaybee Sebastian to  “tell all” about the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) “if he wants protection from the Duterte administration.”

“Unless (Sebastian) tells the entire truth, he will not be given immunity (from suit),” Aguirre told reporters on Friday.

Aguirre’s statements came barely a week after an inmate was killed and several others, including Sebastian, were wounded in a still unexplained attack inside the prison.

Earlier, the prisoners were asked to testify in a congressional investigation on alleged drug links of Sen. Leila de Lima, Mr. Duterte’s arch critic who initiated a Senate inquiry into the summary killings in the administration’s drug war.

Sebastian, who was identified by De Lima as a “government asset” and was reportedly hesitant to testify in the congressional inquiry, is confined at Medical Center Muntinlupa after he suffered wounds in the knife attack at the penitentiary on Sept. 28.

His lawyer said he feared for his life but Aguirre has not granted the prisoner’s  request to be transfered to a more secure medical facility.

Aguirre said: “He (Sebastian) should tell everything he knows, without selection of details. Anyway, he will be joined by his lawyer if we agree to talk.”

Aguirre said Sebastian, a convicted kidnapper, must meet the requirements set by the Department of Justice  for witnesses seeking inclusion in its Witness Protection Program.

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