Jaybee Sebastian transferred to NBI
MANILA, Dec. 28 (PNA) – Justice Secretary Vitalliano Aguirre II on Wednesday confirmed the transfer of high profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian from New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Aguirre said the transfer of Sebastian to NBI on Tuesday evening was upon the request of his counsel and his wife Roxanne due to threats to his life.
Aguirre refused to give details on the threat to Sebastian’s life but said he already ordered an investigation to identify who is behind it.
“I also ordered an investigation to identify those behind the threat to his life,” he said adding that Sebastian’s transfer to NBI is only temporary.
During the Congressional inquiry on the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the NBP, Sebastian admitted that he gave former DoJ Secretary and now Senator Leila De Lima PHP10-million campaign funds.
He was stabbed in a riot inside NBP’s Building 14 last September.
The said incident happened when a fight broke out among inmates that led to Tony Co’s killing and the wounding of Sebastian, Vicente Sy, and Peter Co. Sebastian pointed to fellow inmate Clarence Dongail as the assailant in the said incident, adding that Dongail served as De Lima’s asset.
After Sebastian was discharged from the hospital, he was returned to Building 14 under the close watch of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF).
Last November 4, Sebastian, represented by his wife, Roxanne, and lawyer Eduardo Arriba, filed a 23-page complaint against De Lima former Bureau of Corrections (BUCOR) Director Ricardo Rainier Cruz, and former New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Superintendent Richard Schwarzcopf Jr., for cases of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; and Anti-Torture Act of 2009.
Roxanne also filed additional complaints of violation of the Presidential Decree no. 46, otherwise known as “An Act Punishing the Receiving and Giving of Gifts of Public officials and Employees”, and indirect bribery against Senator De Lima.
Arriba explained the complaint of indirect bribery was Sebastian’s sworn statement and when he testified before the House of Representatives Committee on Justice on the matter of the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the NBP.
He noted the indirect bribery complaint was because De Lima had instructed Sebastian to raise funds for her senatorial campaign and Sebastian handed over a sum of “more or less PHP10 million” to De Lima.
Sebastian was convicted of kidnapping for ransom and carnapping.
Meanwhile, Aguirre said that Sebastian has not been accepted to the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP). (PNA)
