(Eagle News) — The reason why high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian was stabbed during an alleged riot inside the New Bilibid Prison on September 28, was to prevent him from testifying at the congressional inquiry probing the alleged involvement of Senator Leila De Lima on the illegal drug trade at the national penitentiary.
This was revealed in an affidavit of NBP inmate Tomas Doniña who was the one who stabbed Sebastian.
Doniña’s affidavit was read by an investigator of the Criminal and Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) during the inquiry of the House of Representatives investigating the stabbing incident.
Police Superintendent Francisco Ebreo said on Wednesday, November 16, at the House inquiry that Doniña claimed that a former colleague from the Philippine Navy instructed him to do something to silence Sebastian so he could not testify against De Lima.
“Sa sinumpaang salsaysay ni Tomas Doniña na ibingay n’ya noong ika-8 ng Oktubre 2016… ay inilahad n’ya na noong September 28, 2016 bandang 7:45 ng umaga ay pinagtangkaan niyang patayin si Jaybee,” Ebreo said as he read Doniña’s affidavit.
“Sa kadahilanang may kumausap sa kanya na isang dati niyang kasamahan sa Philippine Navy na dapat ay gawan niya ng paraan para mapatahimik at mapatay si Jaybee Sebastian para hindi siya makapagsalita laban kay Ma’am Leila de Lima ukol sa paglaganap ng droga sa NBP,” Ebreo continued.
Sebastian, in his testimony at a congressional inquiry on October 10 said that he gave then Justice Secretary De Lima millions of pesos allegedly to finance her senatorial bid. He was able to attend the House inquiry, more than a week after the NBP riot, when he had already recovered from his injuries.
Early this month, on November 4, Sebastian filed criminal and administrative cases against De Lima and former officials of the Bureau of Corrections and the NBP before the DOJ.
Ebreo said that the CIDG investigation concluded that there was “no riot or tumultuous affray” that occurred at the NBP on September 28.
“What transpired were two separate and simultaneous stabbing incidents inside the makeshift room of Tony Co and the mess hall area,” Ebreo said.
According to the CIDG’s investigation, the first incident happened inside Tony Co’s cell where Tony, Peter Co and Vicente Sy were reportedly having a pot session. An inmate, Edgar Sinco, who reportedly saw the three, reported that they were having a pot session to another inmate, convicted police colonel Clarence Dongail, who then went to accost the three.
Sinco was then reportedly grabbed by Tony Co by the neck, irked with what Sinco had done. Dongail then reportedly came to aid Sinco. Based on the police’s investigation, Tony Co allegedly also tried to attack Dongail with an ice pick, but it ended with him dead and the two other convicts wounded. Dongail was also injured.
It was reportedly during this scuffle that Donina went straight to the mess hall to accomplish his plan to “silence” Sebastian. He stabbed him to prevent him from testifying in the House inquiry.
This however did not prevent Sebastian from testifying before the House inquiry after he was treated at the hospital for his injuries.
Sebastian then detailed how he allegedly gave De Lima drug money to finance her senatorial bid.
The lady senator had denied all the allegations linking her to the illegal drug trade, although she recently admitted her illicit relationship with her driver-bodyguard, Ronnie Dayan.
NBP inmates who testified at the House inquiry alleged Dayan was De Lima’s trusted bagman.
