Jaybee Sebastian, 3 other high-profile prisoners wounded

A high profile convict was killed while four other prisoners, including Jaybee Sebastian, were wounded in a riot that erupted inside Building 14 of the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City yesterday.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rolando Asuncion identified the slain prisoner as Tony Co, who was serving his sentence for carnapping and kidnapping-for-ransom. He also has pending drug cases in court.

Wounded were Jaybee Nino Sebastian, who was tagged by fellow prisoners as the so-called drug king in the NBP; Peter Co, Vicente Sy, and former Chief Inspector Clarence Dongail.

Sebastian, who was convicted of kidnapping for ransom and carnapping, is said to be the drug king in the NBP. He and Peter Co were identified by President Duterte as involved in drugs trade in the country. The President said they direct their drugs operations inside the NBP.

Sebastian, who was tagged by Senator Leila de Lima as a government asset in the NBP,  was also identified by Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. of Albuera, Leyte, as the source of illegal drugs of his son Kerwin.

Sy is serving his sentences, including reclusion perpetua for four convictions, all in violation of RA 6425.

Tony and Peter Co as well as Sy were among the so-called “Bilibid 19” who were transferred to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in 2014.

Officials said Peter Co allegedly operates his illegal drug trade in Luzon and Metro Manila from his detention cell using cellular telephone and other means of communications.

Dongail was one of three former policemen meted out a 120-year jail sentence by a Manila Regional Trial Court for the 2003 kidnap-murder of a former barangay chairman and two maritime instructors in Bacolod City.

HOW IT STARTED

The riot was triggered by the discovery of a pot session among the three Chinese prisoners at the area of Tony Co at around 7:40 a.m. after calisthenics for prisoners was cancelled due to the heavy rains.

The prisoner reported this to Dongail, who told the three Chinese prisoners to stop as they could be caught by members of the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force (SAF) guarding the facility.

Dongail then went to the common area where Sebastian was to watch TV when Tony Co appeared from nowhere and attacked the former police officer with a bladed weapon, resulting in a riot participated in by seven to eight prisoners.

“Nakita sila ng isang inmate at sinasaway sila at sinumbong kay Major Donggail dating police ito at sinabihan nya na wag magshabu dahil lahat sila maaapektuhan,” Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said.

“Tapos pumunta na si Dongail sa kwarto ni Jaybee, at hindi natagalan pumasok naman si Tony Co at bigla nyang sinugod ng saksak si Dongail at doon na nagkaroon ng riot,” he said.

An inmate whom Aguirre identified as Edcar Singco alerted NBP authorities.

Wounded, Sebastian and the two Cos were taken to the Medical Center Muntinlupa while Sy was taken to the NBP Hospital. Tony Co died later in the hospital.

Asuncion said Sebastian sustained “superficial injuries” while Sy and Co are in critical condition. Dongail was also injured but did not need hospital treatment.

He described the incident as an “ordinary riot,” lamenting that BuCor does not have the facilities to properly segregate prisoners.

“It’s deplorable,” Asuncion said of the condition of NBP facilities.

PROBE ORDERED

Aguirre immediately ordered an investigation of the riot, while Director General Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has ordered the SAF to conduct its own investigation. SAF took over security duties from the prison guards since July.

Aquirre said the government will impose additional security measures at the NBP, particularly at the maximum security compound where the riot happened.

The incident happened while the House of Representatives is conducting an inquiry into the extent of illegal drug trade inside the NBP during the term of De Lima as Justice secretary.

Aguirre said the investigation will focus on how the inmates still managed to get their hands on illegal drugs despite the tight security measures at the NBP.

“Yan din ang katanungan ko, yan nga sinasabi namin na 90 percent napigilan namin. May nakapasok ba or mga tinago nila yan but the fact is nagsa-shabu sila ngayong umaga,” he said.

“Hihigpitan pa namin at may kailangan sigurong ihiwalay na mga inmates pero mag-uusap pa ang BuCor at PNP-SAF,” he added.

He pointed out that “hindi maganda para sa gobyerno na mamatay si Jaybee dahil siya ay inaasahan na mag-spill ng beans tungkol kay De Lima,” he also said.

LIQUIDATION PLOT

Meanwhile, Minority lawmaker Rep. Gary Alejano of Magdalo party-list said the bloody riot at the NBP confirms a liquidation plot against “uncooperative” inmates in connection with the congressional inquiry on the illegal drug proliferation there.

“The riot within the Bilibid that caused the death and injury of some high-value inmates corroborates the information I previously received two months ago,” he said in a statement.

According to the tip received by the former rebel soldier, a jail riot would be “staged” to facilitate the assassination of certain detainees.

“The high-value inmates particularly the drug lords would be liquidated in a staged riot inside the prison using hitmen that are also inside,” Alejano said. (With reports from Ellson A. Quismorio and Aaron B. Recuenco)

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Jonathan M. Hicap and Rey G. Panaligan

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