Aguirre keeps condition on Sebastian tell-all

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II is sticking to his condition on the plan of inmate Jaybee Sebastian to reveal all on the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

After President Duterte rejected the offer of Sebastian for a meeting, Aguirre said he was willing to instead meet the leaders of the Presidio side of inmates at the NBP maximum security compound.

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

Aguirre, who is spearheading the fact-finding investigation into the illegal drug operations at the NBP, said Sebastian has to come up with a complete and credible statement – especially if he wishes to get immunity from possible prosecution.

“Unless Jaybee tells the entire truth, he will not be given immunity. He needs to pass the criteria of WPP (witness protection program) before a recommendation for immunity could be made,” Aguirre said.

“Jaybee could do that even without talking to the President,” he said.

Aguirre pointed out that fellow inmates tagged Sebastian as the facilitator of illegal drug trade in NBP allegedly to raise funds for the candidacy of Sen. Leila de Lima in the May elections.

“If he fails to get immunity, his statement might be useless and he could be charged as among the principals in the drug cases,” he said.

“That’s why we only need the entire truth from him, no less. That’s the only condition I have: if he wants to cooperate, tell the whole truth.”

If Sebastian still refuses to speak on the issue, Aguirre said he would have to return to prison and serve the remainder of his sentence. Sebastian has been convicted of kidnapping.

Aguirre also revealed the DOJ is inclined to grant the request of Sebastian’s lawyer Eduardo Arriba for the inmate to be transferred to another facility.

Arriba urged for the transfer of Sebastian after he was injured in a prison riot last week.

“If it is necessary for his security, we will consider,” Aguirre said, noting that transferring Sebastian to a penal farm in the provinces was a possibility.

Aguirre believed the riot where Sebastian and three other high-profile inmates were injured and where drug lord Tony Co was killed could be related to the ongoing congressional probe on the NBP drug trade.

Authorities are checking on Sebastian’s claim that he was just watching TV at the mess hall when fellow inmate Tomas Domeña suddenly attacked him without provocation.

They are also checking on claims of convicted former police chief inspector Clarence Dongail and inmate Edgar Cinco that the scuffle started after drug lords Tony Co, Peter Co and Vicente Sy were caught sniffing shabu inside their cell.

Sebastian is being asked by officials to testify in the congressional investigation against Senator De Lima.

De Lima, a former justice secretary, has said Sebastian was a tipster who gave her department information that led to a 2014 raid on the penitentiary. The raid exposed how high-profile convicts lived in air-conditioned villas equipped with hot tubs and disco lights. Guns, counting machines, cellphones and other gadgets were confiscated.

President Duterte has accused De Lima of collecting money from the illegal trade operated by drug lords from the penitentiary – a charge De Lima called “lies.”

“Sebastian is a valuable witness as we expect him to spill the beans on Senator De Lima. So we don’t want him to die, we want him to live of course,” Aguirre said.

The riot broke out after Aguirre last week said Sebastian was set to testify in the House of Representatives inquiry on illegal drugs trade in NBP, which is set to resume this week.  

Prison officials said there were at least eight inmates involved in the riot. Some of them have since been transferred to another penal facility.

Aguirre said four inmates, including Dongail, had been transferred to the custody of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for security.

“I allowed the CIDG to bring them (prisoners) there as part of the investigation. This is also a precautionary measure because of the situation there (in NBP) is still tense,” Aguirre said. – With Perseus Echeminada