Lawmaker defends use of convicted drug lords as witnesses

MANILA, Philippines – The chairman of the House of Representatives committee on justice defended yesterday the use of convicted drug lords as witnesses in its inquiry into the illegal drugs trade at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

“Sen. Leila de Lima seems to talk out of turn when she complains that convicted criminals have testified against her,” Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali said. “We summoned witnesses who have first-hand knowledge of the illegal activities in prison. Who else can they be but convicted criminals themselves?”

Umali said his committee’s inquiry in aid of legislation focuses on the extent of the illegal drug trade “right within the biggest prison facility in the country.”

The Bureau of Corrections that oversees the NBP is under the Department of Justice, which De Lima headed during the previous administration, he pointed out.

“If she really wants to clear her name and help government stop the proliferation of illegal drugs not just in the NBP but also in the entire country, then she may wish to appear in our next hearing, instead of casting aspersions on the integrity of our probe through media,” he said.

Convicted drug lords led by Herbert Colanggo testified in the first two days of hearings of the justice committee.

They claimed to have given tens of millions of pesos to De Lima for her senatorial campaign last year.

De Lima has denied receiving drug money or having anything to do with the illegal drug trade.

Colanggo admitted before the Umali panel that he and fellow convict Jaybee Sebastian are rivals in the Bilibid drug trade.

De Lima said the government used Sebastian as an asset to crack down on drug activities in the penitentiary.

Rep. Gary Alejano of party-list group Magdalo, a former Marine officer, confirmed De Lima’s revelation on Sebastian.

He said he has information that the justice department, Philippine National Police and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission had convinced Sebastian to tell on his collaborators and their illegal activities.

“That is why Colanggo and the other convicts are angry at Sebastian and Sen. de Lima,” Alejano said.

He stressed their decision to testify could be their way of getting back at their rival and the former justice secretary.

“Colanggo and Jaybee Sebastian head rival gangs at the Bilibid—the Commando and Presidio gangs,” Alejano pointed out. “They have their respective fiefdoms and followers. Above them are their bosses – the Chinese drug lords.”

He said the government crackdown on the NBP started in 2013 with a series of raids.

“Unfortunately, the illegal drugs business did not stop because these convicted drug lords are well entrenched in the Bilibid,” he lamented.

Alejano said prison officials once had to isolate Sebastian from other inmates after a grenade was thrown into his cell.