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[av_heading heading=’ Liberal bet gets illegaldrug money – Aguirre ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – A Liberal Party (LP) candidate other than former Justicesecretary and now Sen. Leila de Lima allegedlyreceived P100 million from drug lords inside the New BilibidPrison in Muntinlupa City.
Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre made this claim this during a Houseof Representatives inquiry into the alleged proliferation of drugs at the prison during de Lima’s term as head of the Justice department.
But Aguirre refused to identify the candidate, saying they were still gathering more evidence.
According to him, the candidatereceived the fund for their campaign but may have not known it was from drug lords at the prison.
“No less than P100 million ang na-i-contribute nitong mga drug lord na ito sa isang kandidato,” Aguirre said. “However, we cannot still saykung alam ba niya na galing sa mga drug lords yung pera.”
Witnesses Herbert Colanggo and RodolfoMagleo earlier claimed de Lima tasked drug lord Jaybee Sebastian to raisefunds for her senatorial candidacy during the 2016 elections.
‘FUND-RAISING’
Gang leaders NoelMartinez, Jojo Baligad and Jaime Patcho seconded these claims during Day 2 of theinquiry presided by the House justice committee on Wednesday.
Martinez, commander of the Genuine Ilocano Group, and Patcho, leader of the Commando gang, both attested that Sebastian asked themto sell drugs and raise money for de Lima’s campaign.
“Kinausap ako ni (Sebastian) … Dapat magbenta kami sa mga leader ng pangkat para malaki yung malilikom,” Martinez said.
“Direkta niyang sinabi na bigyan siya ng tulong bilang paghahanda sa pagtakbo sa pagka-senador… ni… Leila deLima,at huwag ako mangamba dahil sa kanya ang administrasyon,” Patchosaid of Sebastian.
Baligad, one of the 19 prison inmatestransferred to the National Bureau of Investigation in 2014, saidColanggo asked from P500,000 “three times” that year to help de Lima’s campaign.
“Alam kong direktang para kay Secretaryde Lima ang P1.5 million,at ito naman ay tahasang inamin ni Colanggo sa amin,” said Baligad.
ALLEGED VISITS
Martinez and Patcho also seconded claims of the earlierwitness that de Lima was visiting Sebastian’s kubol(dwelling) several times.
Martinez claimed Sebastian personally offered him protection since the latter was close to the then Justice secretary.
“Noong 2013, sinabihan ako ni Jaybee (Sebastian) na darating side Lima sa opisina niya. At nung kinahapunan, andun rin yung mga leader ng ibang pangkat atisa-isang ipinakilala kayde Lima,” said Martinez.
Patcho said he saw de Lima entering Sebastian’sbahay na bató (concrete house) twice and never interacted with otherinmates at the prison.
“Sa nakikita ko po talagang napakalakas niya (Sebastian kay de Lima).Sa dami namin do’n,bakit sa kanya lang pupunta,” Patcho said. “Sabi ni Jaybee sa akin, matibay ang bangká niya at kung di ka sasakay ay lulubog ka.”/PN
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