Trillanes behind attack on Jaybee?

MANILA, Philippines – Was Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV also involved in threats against high-value inmate Jaybee Sebastian?

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into this possibility after the senator, along with Sen. Leila de Lima, was implicated by the inmate who stabbed Sebastian during a riot in the New Bilibid Prison last Sept. 28.

DOJ Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II revealed this yesterday after earlier confirming that the DOJ was also looking into De Lima’s involvement in threats to Sebastian’s life.

Aguirre said Sebastian’s attacker, Tomas Donina, claimed in his affidavit that a former colleague from the Philippine Navy asked him if he could help “silence” Sebastian and stop him from speaking against De Lima. 

“He (Donina) mentioned the participation of Trillanes and De Lima in his affidavit,” Aguirre told reporters.

But Aguirre did not identify the naval officer who supposedly ordered Sebastian’s killing.

He also explained that Donina did not provide any proof to back up his claim, which prompted the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to exclude Trillanes and De Lima in the charges filed against Donina and two other inmates involved in the riot after its probe.

“There is no evidence to pursue a case against the senators named,” Aguirre said. 

Earlier, Aguirre said De Lima has been tagged in threats against Sebastian, which led to his transfer from the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City to the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila City last week.

Sebastian testified in the House last Oct. 10 and tagged De Lima in the illegal drug trade in NBP.

He claimed he gave P14 million from the illegal drug trade in the NBP to De Lima’s alleged representatives – her former aide Joenel Sanchez and former Bureau of Correction director Franklin Bucayu – during her tenure as DOJ secretary. 

Several other inmates corroborated his testimony and said they sold drugs through their contacts outside the prison to raise funds for De Lima in her senatorial campaign.  

Trillanes denied the allegation and warned Aguirre that he intends to call for an investigation into the riot.

“Why would I even do that? It is totally absurd. Aguirre and his gang better get their stories straight because we will have a full-blown Senate inquiry to get the truth out,” he said in a text message to reporters.

De Lima could not be reached for comment but she had angrily denied any involvement shortly after the riot. – Edu Punay, Paolo Romero