Sebastian Admits Giving At Least PHP10-M Drug Money to De Lima

Kidnapping convict Jaybee Sebastian on Monday admitted he gave millions in drug money to former Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima to help bankroll her senatorial bid in the May 2016 elections.

During the House of Representatives’ justice committee hearing on the alleged illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison, Sebastian testified that he gave payola worth PHP2 million a month to De Lima through her security aide, Joenel Sanchez.

Sebastian said he had given a total of PHP10 million to Sanchez from March to May 2015.

Sebastian said he was not able to meet the monthly quota when it was raised from PHP2 million to PHP5 million.

”From March to May 2015, I was able to give an amount of PHP10 million to Joenel to fund (former DOJ) Sec. Leila de Lima(‘s senatorial bid) for the upcoming (2016) elections until he said that my monthly quota is PHP5 million,” he said in Filipino.

The high-profile inmate alleged that Sanchez and the lady senator seemed to have an intimate relationship.

Sebastian, however, denied that he was “untouchable” inside the Bilibid due to his links with de Lima, pinning down another high-profile inmate, Herbert Colanggo, as the favored drug lord of the former DOJ secretary.

”Ang totoo po ay si Colanggo [sic] ang siyang tunay na malakas sa BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) at kay DOJ Secretary De Lima,” Sebastian said, adding that Colanggo has the capacity to smuggle in contraband items, allow gambling activities, and hold weekly concerts inside the NBP.

He also denied being a government asset, contrary to De Lima’s earlier claims.

Kabayan Partylist Rep. Harry Roque and other lawmakers pointed out that Sebastian’s testimony contradicts the testimonies of other witnesses in the previous hearings who claimed that he was the alleged point man of De Lima and also responsible for the transfer of the 19 high-profile inmates after the Dec. 15, 2014 raid due to his influential status in the national penitentiary. (PNA) BNB/FMC/Clariza Raquino (OJT)