Attack on high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian during a ‘staged riot’ could be part of the government’s plan to “terminate” drug lords inside the New Bilibid Prison, claimed a party-list lawmaker.
“May na-receive ako na information two months ago. Ang information, iyong mga drug lord will be terminated and liquidated through a staged riot,” Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said on Wednesday.
Sebastian’s lawyer Edgar Arriba said there was no pot session or altercation when his client was attacked from behind.
Alejano said he could not reveal his source, but added that the person knows what’s happening in the penitentiary through firsthand information.
While he declined to speculate on who could be the masterminds behind the stabbing incident in the Bilibid, Alejano said that the government could be involved.
“Iyong suspected drug users sa labas namamatay dahil suspect sila at nanlaban. Eh ‘di much more sa kulungan. Hawak ang buhay nila ng mga guwardiya,” Alejano said.
He added that those who staged the riot could have considered it as a solution to stopping the illegal drug trade in prison and in the rest of the country.
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The drug lords in the Bilibid have long been accused of controlling the drug trade in the penitentiary and even beyond. President Rodrigo Duterte and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II have repeatedly said so.
Alejano thought that since the convicted drug lords are already in prison, there was no other solution but to liquidate them.
The lawmaker said that he wants to discuss the “liquidation” angle during the hearing of the House justice committee on the proliferation of the illegal drug trade in the Bilibid, although he thought the panel has become partial to one side.
During the hearing, Bilibid convicts who were asked to testify claimed that Sebastian led the efforts to raise money from drugs to support Senator Leila de Lima’s senatorial bid. They also accused de Lima of receiving drug money from the Bilibid.
Alejano said that even before the hearing ended, the panel has already reached a conclusion, hence the need for an objective investigation.
He added that he would ask for copies of the CCTV footage at Bilibid’s Building 14, where the stabbing incident that hurt Sebastian, Peter Co, and Vicente Sy and killed Tony Co happened.
Earlier, Aguirre said that the high-profile inmates had a pot session when the stabbing incident started, but Alejano refuted that claim.
“Paanong nagka-pot session doon eh PNP-SAF na nga ang nagbabantay doon? Tuluy-tuloy ang galugad nila,” Alejano said.
According to the lawmaker, the government could be forcing Sebastian to follow the other inmates in testifying against de Lima.
“Naiintindihan namin bakit nila sinabi na hindi makaka-attend si Sebastian kasi nasabihan siguro na matigas ang ulo,” he said.
Alejano emphasized how important it is for Sebastian to tell his side of the story.
The lawmaker also said the same thing in his Facebook post.
Sources: (gmanetwork.com, facebook.com)
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