(Eagle News)– Bilibid inmate Noel Martinez on Wednesday (September 21) claimed that then Justice Secretary now incumbent Senator Leila De Lima had visited Jaybee Sebastian at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) numerous times since January 2013.
Martinez said that it was in January 2013 when he first met De Lima through Sebastian.
“Noong Enero 2013, isang umaga, tinawagan ako ni Jaybee at sinabi na darating si Sec. Leila de Lima sa kaniyang opisina bandang hapon,” Martinez said as he read his affidavit before the House panel.
“Nang pumunta ako kinahapunan ay naroon nga si Sec. De Lima. Naroon din ang mga pinuno ng iba’t ibang pangkat at ipinakilala ang bawat isa sa amin kay Sec. De Lima,” he added.
According to Martinez, it was in February 2013 when Sebastian asked for his help to gather funds for De Lima’s run for the Senate.
Sebastian also reportedly said that the drug trade inside NBP should be “centralized” to get enough money for De Lima.
Martinez said Sebastian would give his group protection and special treatment in exchange for their help.
Martinez revealed that the only role of his group– the Genuine Ilocano Group– was to recommend people to Sebastian who could sell drugs outside NBP.
Martinez recounted that it was on the last months of 2013 when Sebastian told him that De Lima would again visit the penitentiary complex.
“Totoo nga na dumarating ito sa kaniyang opisina. Sa lahat ng pagkakataon ng pagpunta ni Sec. De Lima sa kubol ni Jaybee, silang dalawa ay iniiwan namin pagkatapos ng kainan. Sa ibang pagkakataon naman ay ang driver ni Secretary De Lima na si Jonel Sanchez ang nagpupunta kay Jaybee at kumokolekta ng pera,” Martinez claimed.
Martinez added that a certain “Makoy” was the one who collected the remittances after Sebastian informed him that De Lima and Sanchez were not in good terms.
Aside from the senator, Martinez also accused former Bureau of Corrections Director Franklin Jesus Bucayu of demanding half a million pesos every week to be eventually claimed by a certain “Col. Elly”.
Martinez said he ended up giving only P300,000 since he did not have such amount.
“Kaya kapag pinapunta ako ni Col. Elly sa opisina niya, alam ko na na kailangan kong magbigay ng pera,” he added.
In a privilege speech on Tuesday (September 20), De Lima reiterated that all accusations against her were just fabricated.
“Prisoners are being selected and isolated just to be intimated into implicating me and to fit the President’s narrative that I am a drug lord coddler, aside from being the most evil woman in the planet,” she added.
Four new witnesses have been scheduled to testify against the senator on the second day of the House inquiry on NBP drug mess.
