MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News) — The probe into the alleged illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) is set to resume on October 5 to October 7 even without the presence of key witness Jaybee Sebastian.
In an interview, Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali said other witnesses were set to testify next week, including Ronnie Dayan, Sen. Leila De Lima’s driver and reported lover; Joenel Sanchez, De Lima’s security aide and alleged bagman; Franklin Bucayu, former Bureau of Corrections Chief; and Reginald Villasanta, former presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission executive director.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has already signed the subpoena for the five witnesses including Sebastian, who was among those injured in the NBP riot on Wednesday morning.
Umali, however, insisted that Sebastian should appear in the justice committee’s hearings if his injuries are not “debilitating”.
Several inmates who testified in the house probe tagged Sebastian as the alleged point man of then Justice Secretary De Lima in raising funds for her senatorial bid through the drug trade inside the prime prison facility.