![NBPtoday](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/NBPtoday.jpg)
The New Bilibid Prison drug trafficking scandal is a criminal investigation and political scandal concerning allegations of government involvement in
illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through ...
at the
New Bilibid Prison
The New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila is the main insular prison designed to house the prison population of the Philippines. It is maintained by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) under the Department of Justice. As of Octob ...
in
Muntinlupa
Muntinlupa, officially the City of Muntinlupa ( fil, Lungsod ng Muntinlupa), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the ...
,
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
, Philippines. The allegations were made by President
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
after announcing that the two top convicted drug lords in the country continued to run their
drug rings from inside the national penitentiary with former administration officials and their local government cohorts as co-conspirators.
On August 25, 2016, Duterte released a drug matrix showing the structure of drug trafficking operations at the New Bilibid Prison and identified the two former top officials of the
Department of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...
, the former provincial governor and board member of
Pangasinan
Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capit ...
, and the former
Bureau of Corrections
The Bureau of Corrections ( fil, Kawanihan ng mga Bilangguan, literally "Bureau of Prisons", which was the name of the agency from 1905 to 1989; abbreviated BuCor) is an agency of the Department of Justice which is charged with the custody and ...
director as being involved in the Bilibid narcotics trade.
Background
Reports of illegal drug trafficking and use among inmates of the New Bilibid Prison have surfaced increasingly since 2014 when officials under the administration of President
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
launched a series of raids under ''Oplan Galugad'' ("Operation Surprise Inspection") at the national penitentiary. In a much publicized
December 2014 raid, the police discovered
methamphetamine
Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamph ...
( fil, shabu) and other drug paraphernalia, inflatable sex dolls, a stripper bar and jacuzzi spread across 19 air-conditioned
villa
A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became s ...
s ( fil, kubol) built for convicted drug dealers.
In subsequent raids, police also found other items and contrabands prohibited in the prison such as firearms and bladed weapons, mobile phones, flat screen TVs, laptops, WIFi, luxury
Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe SA is a Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer, located in the Canton of Geneva and the Vallée de Joux. Established in 1839, it is named after two of its founders, Antoni Patek and Adrien Philippe. Since 1932, the company ha ...
,
Cartier Cartier may refer to:
People
* Cartier (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
* Cartier Martin (born 1984), American basketball player
Places
* Cartier Island, an island north-west of Australia that is part of Australia' ...
and
Rolex
Rolex SA () is a British-founded Swiss watch designer and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as ''Wilsdorf and Davis'' by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London, the company registered ''Rolex'' as the brand name of ...
watches, sauna and over in cash from body searches of several high profile inmates.
In the luxurious villa of convicted drug lord Peter Co linked by secret pathways to areas around the Bilibid, authorities also seized documents containing a list of names with corresponding cash amounts and dates.
In another ''kubol'' occupied by convicted drug lord and robbery gang leader Herbert Colanggo, a 60-square-meter music studio was discovered where he reportedly was able to even produce a music video that went viral on ''
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
''.
The Department of Justice, which supervises the New Bilibid Prison through its
Bureau of Corrections
The Bureau of Corrections ( fil, Kawanihan ng mga Bilangguan, literally "Bureau of Prisons", which was the name of the agency from 1905 to 1989; abbreviated BuCor) is an agency of the Department of Justice which is charged with the custody and ...
, conducted more than 30 raids from 2014 to 2016 under then Justice Secretary
Leila de Lima
Leila Norma Eulalia Josefa Magistrado de Lima (born August 27, 1959) is a Filipina politician, lawyer, human rights activist and law professor who previously served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. She was the chairperson of ...
.
Despite the raids which resulted in the termination and replacement of prison personnel, the transfer of several convicted drug dealers to the
National Bureau of Investigation detention facility, the demolition of luxurious prison villas, and regular searches and seizures, illegal drug trade continued at the maximum security prison as the Secretary admitted in 2015.
The issue of illegal drug operations at the Bilibid persisted throughout the remaining months of
Aquino's term and even became a contentious election topic in 2016. During the
2nd presidential debate held in
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas Regions of the P ...
in March 2016, Duterte called administration candidate and former Interior Secretary
Mar Roxas
Manuel "Mar" Araneta Roxas II (; born May 13, 1957) is a Filipino politician who served as a Senator of the Philippines. He is the grandson and namesake of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas. He served in the Cabinet of the Philippines as ...
a "fraud" and blasted the administration for "allowing shabu to be cooked inside the national penitentiary."
Leila de Lima
Leila Norma Eulalia Josefa Magistrado de Lima (born August 27, 1959) is a Filipina politician, lawyer, human rights activist and law professor who previously served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. She was the chairperson of ...
, then running for senator, slammed Duterte's allegation and said there was no truth in the claims that drug trade flourished in the Bilibid during the Aquino administration.
Allegations
![Rodrigo Duterte showing diagram of drug trade network 1 7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Rodrigo_Duterte_showing_diagram_of_drug_trade_network_1_7.7.16.jpg)
Following his victory in the
May 2016 elections, Duterte launched an
intensified anti-drug campaign and ordered the investigation of the personalities behind the proliferation of illegal drug trade at the Bilibid. The new Justice Secretary
Vitaliano Aguirre II
Vitaliano "Vit" Napeñas Aguirre II (; born October 16, 1946) is a Filipino lawyer serving as a commissioner of the National Police Commission from January 11, 2021 to June 30, 2022. He previously served as Secretary of Justice under the Dute ...
reported that 75% of drug transactions in the country were being "cooked" in Bilibid and announced that eliminating drug trade in prisons will be a priority of his department.
On July 7, 2016, just one week since he took office, Duterte publicly named the top three drug lords behind the huge syndicates in the country and threatened to kill them if they continue their operations. He identified them as Wu Tuan alias "Peter Co", a Chinese triad member operating in Metro Manila and
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
, Herbert Colanggo (sometimes spelled Colangco) alias "Ampang", another Chinese who was reported to be connected to
Kuratong Baleleng
Kuratong Baleleng was an organized crime syndicate in the Philippines that once was an anti-communist, vigilante group. Once the largest syndicate in the country, they received nationwide attention due to their alleged end in a shootout with t ...
and the Parojinog drug syndicate in
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
, and Peter Lim, also known as "Jaguar," also a Chinese triad member operating in the
Visayas
The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao ...
who remains at large.
According to Duterte, both Co and Colanggo are detained at the New Bilibid Prison but continue to run the drug operations of their respective groups. Peter Co was convicted for selling shabu back in 2001 while Colanggo has been serving time at the maximum security compound since 2009. While Duterte earlier identified five Philippine National Police generals as protectors of the drug lords, he also said that his administration is investigating several other government officials and local executives as "persons of interest."
Former Dangerous Drugs Board director and now Solicitor General
Jose Calida
Jose Callangan Calida (born July 7, 1950) is a Filipino lawyer. He previously served as Undersecretary of Justice under the Arroyo administration, as executive director of the Dangerous Drugs Board, as Solicitor General of the Philippines under ...
released a photo on July 22, 2016 showing De Lima side by side with convicted inmate
Jaybee Sebastian in orange prison uniform taken in a ''kubol'' inside the Bilibid. In a press conference, Calida asked the members of the media present if it was appropriate for a justice secretary to be "rubbing elbows with a convicted felon." He said the photo will be investigated, as well as Sebastian's links to the former secretary as he vowed that "public officials who are coddling drug lords and criminals will be put to jail."
Earlier, a video went viral on social media showing De Lima singing at a party with what netizens claimed to be the convicted drug lord Herbert Colanggo.
From July 20–26, 2016, in the first major raids at the Bilibid since President Duterte took office, the
Special Action Force
The Special Action Force (SAF) is the elite unit of the Philippine National Police founded by Fidel V. Ramos, later the twelfth president of the Philippines.
History
Formed on May 12, 1983, by the now-defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC) as th ...
troopers which took over the prison's security operations from the Bureau of Corrections jail guards, was able to confiscate worth of contraband including firearms, mobile phones,
marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
and ''shabu''.
They also discovered tunnels in the complex where shabu was being cooked.
In an update to the media on the results of the investigation in the Bilibid, Secretary Aguirre revealed that at least two high-ranking former officials of the Department of Justice as well as officials of the Bureau of Corrections which he refused to name have allegedly received millions from high profile inmates for special treatment.
On August 25, 2016, Duterte tagged the former Justice Secretary, now Senator Leila de Lima as being involved in the Bilibid drug trade.
In the drug matrix released to the media which shows the drug trafficking operations in the prison, Duterte also identified former Pangasinan governor, now Congressman
Amado Espino Jr., former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III and De Lima's former driver and alleged lover Ronnie Dayan as part of the Bilibid drug network.
Ronnie Dayan, then working for Secretary de Lima, was identified as the drug money collector in the Bilibid and a "case fixer" of well-known politicians in Pangasinan.
In a statement a week earlier prior to the start of the Senate probe on alleged extrajudicial killings in the current drug campaign, Duterte called de Lima "immoral" for having an affair with her driver Dayan, a married man, who he claimed collected money from the Bilibid drug lord inmates to fund her senatorial campaign.
The president also claimed that de Lima had built a mansion for Dayan in
Urbiztondo, Pangasinan
Urbiztondo, officially the Municipality of Urbiztondo ( pag, Baley na Urbiztondo; ilo, Ili ti Urbiztondo; tgl, Bayan ng Urbiztondo), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a ...
from the drug protection money they collected, and that there was evidence from wiretaps and ATM records that would show that the former driver-bodyguard of de Lima transacted with drug syndicates at the New Bilibid Prison when she was Justice Secretary.
The drug matrix also links former Pangasinan governor Espino to then Justice Undersecretary Francisco "Toti" Baraan and his brother, Pangasinan administrator Raffy Baraan, whom the governor allegedly used to cover for his illegal activities. It said that both Baraan and Espino were involved in black
sand mining
Sand mining is the extraction of sand, mainly through an open pit (or sand pit) but sometimes mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds. Sand is often used in manufacturing, for example as an abrasive or in concret ...
operations in Pangasinan with Espino being charged earlier with plunder for illegal mining.
General Bucayo was identified as protector of the narco politicians who was appointed as the PNP Director for Region 1 and as the Bureau of Corrections chief through the help of Secretary de Lima.
A certain “Ms. Cardenosa” also appears in the matrix. She is connected to Dayan and serving as the dummy for his properties. The drug matrix also shows Pangasinan Board Member Sison as connected with “Ms. Cardenosa” and Governor Espino.
Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace ( fil, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, ; es, Palacio de Malacañán), officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila distric ...
Communications Secretary
Martin Andanar
Jose Ruperto Martin Marfori Andanar (born August 21, 1974) is a Filipino television news personality, news anchor, radio commentator, podcaster, and voice-over artist. He served as the secretary of the Presidential Communications Office of the ...
later clarified to the media that the President's drug matrix was based on strong evidence from intelligence reports from the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA, , ; Filipino: ''Ahensiya ng Pilipinas sa Pagpapatupad ng Batas Laban sa Bawal na Gamot'') is the lead anti-drug law enforcement agency, responsible for preventing, investigating and combating any ...
and the Philippine National Police and that it went through thorough validation.
Following the exposé from the President, two former National Bureau of Investigation deputy directors have come forward and said they are willing to testify against de Lima.
The two NBI officers, Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala, were discharged by the former Justice Secretary in March 2014 on grounds of their alleged links to the
Priority Development Assistance Fund scam
The Priority Development Assistance Fund scam, also called the PDAF scam or the pork barrel scam, is a political scandal involving the alleged misuse by several members of the Congress of the Philippines of their Priority Development Assistance ...
, other "derogatory reports" about them, and being presidential appointees, they can be removed by simple loss of integrity and confidence.
They however claim that they were given separation orders by de Lima without due process because they were investigating her then.
Two former employees of the Department of Justice have also come forward to Secretary Aguirre with affidavits implicating de Lima in the Bilibid drug trade. Jonathan Caranto and Edna Obuyes, both former receiving clerks in the department under De Lima, presented bank deposit slips showing money transfers in millions of pesos to Ronnie Dayan's account. They said De Lima asked them to make those deposits. Secretary Aguirre claimed Caranto and Obuyes were not coerced into signing the affidavits and that they volunteered to testify in order to clear their names.
Secretary Aguirre also bared to the media that other NBI agents, former Bureau of Corrections officials, and at least 12 high profile inmates at the New Bilibid Prison have executed sworn statements against De Lima with two of those witnesses claiming to have personally handed in cash to the former Justice Secretary at her house in
Parañaque
Parañaque, officially the City of Parañaque ( fil, Lungsod ng Parañaque, ), is a first class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to t ...
. Aguirre also announced that convicted drug lord Herbert Colanggo was among those who have executed their affidavits and who agreed to testify against De Lima.
In a speech during his visit to police officers wounded or killed in the ongoing war against drugs on August 29, 2016 in
Tacloban
Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban ( war, Syudad han Tacloban; fil, Lungsod ng Tacloban), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. The city is autonomous from the province of Leyte, a ...
, President Duterte called for the senator to resign and said "If I were De Lima, I'll
ichang myself."
While admitting there were "snippets of truths" in those allegations, De Lima however said "the bulk of it are distortions, exaggerations, and lies." The senator also said she will not take part in any inquiry on the Bilibid drug trade. Congressman Espino also denied the allegations.
On September 27, 2016 during the inspection of the biggest shabu factory ever discovered by the PNP and PDEA in
Arayat, Pampanga
Arayat, officially the Municipality of Arayat ( pam, Balen ning Arayat; tl, Bayan ng Arayat), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Pampanga in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 144,875 people.
Geogr ...
, President Duterte cleared former Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr., Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan and Board Member Raul Sison of the charges relating to the illegal drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison, publicly apologized to them for the lapse in the validation of the intelligence report, but maintained that the charges of illegal mining against Espino and Baraan remain valid as the
Sandiganbayan
The Sandiganbayan ( en, Support of the Nation) is a special appellate collegial court in the Philippines that has jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases involving graft and corrupt practices and other offenses committed by public officer ...
has already decided on the case and ordered their suspension.
Aguirre said, on 5 October, that the convicted drug lords were able to transact up to worth of illegal drugs during the last two years of
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
administration.
Investigation
Following earlier pronouncements from Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on alleged links of former Justice Department officials in the Bilibid trade,
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez
Pantaleon Diaz Alvarez (born January 10, 1958) is a Filipino politician serving as the Representative of Davao del Norte's 1st district since 2016, previously holding the position from 1998 to 2001. He served as the Speaker of the House of ...
called for a resolution to probe de Lima and the alleged proliferation of drugs in the previous administration.
Representatives
Raneo Abu
Raneo "Ranie" Enriquez Abu (born October 28, 1970) is a Filipino politician serving as the Representative of Batangas's 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2022. He served as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philipp ...
and Karlo Nograles authored House Resolution No. 105 calling for the investigation, in aid of legislation, which was passed by the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
on July 21, 2016. Nograles said the purpose of the inquiry was to find out how drugs were manufactured in the Bilibid as well as the connections of certain personalities in the illegal activity. Abu, on the other hand, said he wanted the inquiry to focus on the Bilibid prison raids where a shabu laboratory, high-powered firearms, other weapons and luxury items were discovered. The lawmakers also said it is the aim of the house probe to strengthen the penitentiary system by helping lawmakers to come up with measures to ensure that the national prisons would be free from drugs and corruption.
The House Committee on Justice led by its chairman Representative Reynaldo Umali scheduled the probe beginning on September 20, 2016 with the accused Ronnie Dayan tapped as the principal resource person. Umali said that an invitation will also be sent to De Lima and that a subpoena will be issued to Dayan if he fails to attend.
In the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
, an ethics complaint was filed against its member Senator Leila de Lima on August 30, 2016 following the release of the Bilibid drug matrix by President Duterte.
Majority Leader
In U.S. politics (as well as in some other countries utilizing the presidential system), the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body. Tito Sotto
Vicente Castelo Sotto III (; born August 24, 1948), professionally known as Tito Sotto, is a Filipino politician, entertainer and athlete who served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022. Before that, had two stints each as Senate Majority Lea ...
who chairs the Senate ethics committee said the seven-member committee will take up the complaint from private lawyer Abelardo de Jesus on September 13, 2016.
In the said hearing,
President pro tempore
A president pro tempore or speaker pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer. The phrase ''pro tempore'' is Latin "for the time being". ...
Franklin Drilon
Franklin Magtunao Drilon (born November 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and former politician. He had the longest tenure in the Senate of the Philippines (tied with Lorenzo Tañada, Tito Sotto and incumbent Loren Legarda), having served four no ...
questioned the Senate's jurisdiction over the case as it involves alleged illegal acts which happened before de Lima was elected senator.
House Committee on Justice investigation
Investigation in the House of Representatives Committee on Justice began on September 20, 2016 with the panel chair
Oriental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro ( tl, Silangang Mindoro), officially the Province of Oriental Mindoro, is a province in the Philippines located on the island of Mindoro under Mimaropa region in Luzon, about southwest of Manila. The province is bordered by th ...
Representative Reynaldo Umali saying the hearing is not about persecuting Senator de Lima but to get to the bottom of the proliferation of drug syndicates in the prison. Secretary Aguirre requested for legislative immunity for the witnesses who will testify which was granted by House Speaker Alvarez after no objections were raised by the committee members present.
The Department of Justice then presented the 2013
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Channe ...
documentary "Inside the Gangsters' Code" which featured the gangs controlling the Bilibid and their illegal drug operations both in and out of the maximum security prison. The show also featured an interview by the host
Louis Ferrante
Louis Ferrante (born May 13, 1969) is a former Gambino crime family mobster, who spent eight and a half years in prison, successfully appealed his conviction and became a bestselling true crime, business, and science writer. He hosts his own sho ...
with gang leader
Jaybee Sebastian in his kubol where he showed his office where he operated his own television network as well as his pictures with prominent government officials including Justice Secretary De Lima.
After which, the Special Action Force presented their accomplishments and the changes in the Bilibid since taking over its security operations on July 20, 2016.
By the end of the House probe on November 24, 2016, the following resource persons have presented their testimonies at the committee: Bilibid inmates Herbert Colanggo, Noel Martinez, Rodolfo Magleo, Jaime Patcho, Jojo Baligad, Froilan Trestiza, Hans Anthony Tan, Peter Co and Jaybee Sebastian; NBI officers Rafael Ragos and Jovencio Ablen; PNP Deputy Director
Benjamin Magalong
Benjamin "Benjie" Bañez Magalong (born December 15, 1960) is a Filipino politician and retired police officer serving as the mayor of Baguio since 2019. Before entering politics, he served in the Philippine Constabulary and Philippine National ...
; and former security aides Joenel Sanchez and Ronnie Dayan.
Colanggo's testimony
Herbert Colanggo, one of the ''Bilibid 19'' or the high profile drug lord inmates that were found to be living in luxury ''kubol''s in 2014, exposed the ''PR payola'' being paid to several government officials in exchange for special treatment and for being able to bring in contraband in the prison. He testified that he had remitted per month to then Secretary De Lima since October 2013 and an additional whenever he held concerts in the Bilibid.
He said De Lima's security aide Jonel Sanchez regularly collected the bribe money in his kubol which he said came from his earnings from his lending business, selling beer in prison, bringing in women prostitutes and selling them to inmates at a high price, and the concerts and other events he organized in Bilibid with his manager Renante Diaz.
Colanggo then presented to the committee the mobile number that was used by Sanchez to call De Lima in January 2014 when he was able to speak to the then justice secretary to confirm if she was receiving the payments. De Lima supposedly answered "Okay, okay. Thank you."
Secretary Aguirre then informed the House panel that they have secured a certification from Department of Justice confirming that the number provided by Colanggo was indeed registered to De Lima.
Colangco also presented to the committee the receipts from his payments to De Lima's bagman, Sanchez which his manager Diaz sent via M Lhuillier remittance center.
Colanggo also narrated his encounter with
Jaybee Sebastian, who he said was chairman or leader that controlled the other half of the Bilibid business. He said Sebastian approached him for help in raising funds for De Lima's senatorial campaign by selling
methamphetamine
Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamph ...
. Joenel Sanchez followed up on this request and reminded Colanggo about the instruction to push at least 10 kilos of shabu per month. Colanggo eventually agreed to the deal. He was also asked by Ronnie Dayan (who was De Lima's bagman assigned to Sebastian) to collect 30 to 50 kilos of illegal drugs from Chinese drug lords without paying them but that he did not agree to it.
Colanggo said that during the December 15, 2014 prison raid led by Secretary de Lima, he was one of those who were transferred to the NBI detention which he said he did not expect because he was already giving to the secretary. He approached De Lima to say that he was already agreeing to Ronnie Dayan's request so long as he is not transferred. He said De Lima's reply to him was "Got it, got it" which was quickly followed by "Herbert, you'll be temporarily placed here." However, Colanggo said he was detained at the NBI for 8 months, and said it was to allow Jaybee Sebastian to control the whole Bilibid drug operations.
Colanggo also told the committee that payola was paid monthly to then Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Bucayo since 2013 which was coursed through Colonel Ely. He said he also gave to Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan through his aide Susan for every inmate that pays to be transferred from medium security to the comforts of the maximum security compound.
Ragos' and Ablen's testimonies
National Bureau of Investigation director and former
Bureau of Corrections
The Bureau of Corrections ( fil, Kawanihan ng mga Bilangguan, literally "Bureau of Prisons", which was the name of the agency from 1905 to 1989; abbreviated BuCor) is an agency of the Department of Justice which is charged with the custody and ...
(BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos' testimony stated that the delivery of millions of drug money at De Lima's house in
Parañaque
Parañaque, officially the City of Parañaque ( fil, Lungsod ng Parañaque, ), is a first class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to t ...
. Ragos testified that he personally handed in cash to Ronnie Dayan at the secretary's residence on November 24, 2012.
The money was placed inside a black handbag which Ragos found in the BuCor's office. He asked NBI intelligence agent Jovencio Ablen to accompany him to Parañaque after receiving the instruction. Ablen, who was then working with Ragos on the investigation in the Bilibid explosion a week before, said Ragos told him that they were bringing the ''quota'' to the Grandmother (''Lola'') and that it was from Peter Co. He was also told that it was confidential and that only the two of them know. Upon arriving at De Lima's house, Ablen saw Ragos hand over the bag to Dayan with De Lima waiting from the main door. He also saw Ragos entered the house with Dayan and De Lima.
Ragos and Ablen also said they made a second delivery at De Lima's house in mid-December 2012. They said the money this time was placed in a translucent plastic bag and that it was again from Peter Co.
Ragos recanted his testimony in May 2022.
Magalong's testimony
On the second day of the hearing at the House committee, Secretary Aguirre presented as witness Philippine National Police deputy chief Benjamin Magalong who previously headed the PNP
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is the primary investigation arm of the Philippine National Police.
History
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group was established as the Criminal Information Service whose origin t ...
(CIDG). In his sworn statement, Magalong bared the details of the aborted Oplan ''Cronus'' which was supposed to conduct the prison raid in the Bilibid in 2014.
Magalong, who was appointed CIDG chief in December 2013, said he proposed the case operation plan to then Secretary De Lima in May 2014 after his team's findings from recent illegal drug arrests point to the New Bilibid Prison as source. He said that during his first meeting with De Lima at her office in the DOJ, he noticed a diagram of Bilibid personalities written on her white board.
He proceeded to inform De Lima that most of the drug pushers they have arrested had dealings with inmates of the Bilibid. Before the meeting ended, Magalong told her "we have to raid NBP because that is where drug trade is happening." The secretary reportedly responded by saying she will call for an inter-agency meeting.
According to Magalong, four "discreet" inter-agency meetings were held to discuss and plan the raid between May and September 2014 which included the top officials of the CIDG,
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA, , ; Filipino: ''Ahensiya ng Pilipinas sa Pagpapatupad ng Batas Laban sa Bawal na Gamot'') is the lead anti-drug law enforcement agency, responsible for preventing, investigating and combating any ...
, National Bureau of Investigation, and the Intelligence Service of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...
(ISAFP).
Magalong narrated their first inter-agency meeting with De Lima on his proposed ''Cronus'' plan. He said he was surprised to see then Bureau of Corrections officer Rafael Ragos when no BuCor officials were supposed to be at the meeting. After pointing it out to De Lima, he said the secretary also appeared surprised and asked Ragos to leave. In another meeting, then BuCor chief Franklin Bucayu was permitted to sit in where he supposedly tried to discourage the PNP-CIDG from pushing through with the plan saying "You'll have a hard time." In a separate private meeting with Bucayo and then Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) chief Reginald Villasanta, Magalong said Bucayo pleaded him not to carry out the raid saying "Benjie, I'm going to die!"
He told Bucayo to talk to the secretary about his concern but that he would still proceed with preparing the operation. At the conclusion of the inter-agency planning, he said he was instructed by De Lima to just wait for the joint Letter of Instruction from her and
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
The secretary of the interior and local government (Filipino: ''Kalihim ng Interyor at Pamahalaang Lokal'') is the member of the Cabinet in charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
The current secretary is Benjamin Abalos J ...
Mar Roxas
Manuel "Mar" Araneta Roxas II (; born May 13, 1957) is a Filipino politician who served as a Senator of the Philippines. He is the grandson and namesake of former Philippine President Manuel Roxas. He served in the Cabinet of the Philippines as ...
.
At a rare meeting with the secretary in an event after the planning sessions ended, Magalong said he approached De Lima to follow up on the instruction letter. He told her he was willing to be the ground commander for the operation to raid Bilibid, but the secretary again told him "Let's just wait, Benjie."
Months have passed and no letter of instruction arrived. Magalong said he was shocked upon learning De Lima already carried out the Bilibid raid under a different plan (''Oplan Galugad'') on December 15, 2014. He expressed to the committee his dismay at being left out in the operation he proposed and planned with other PNP-CIDG and PDEA officers. Magalong said those who carried out the December 15 raid were only De Lima, Bucayo, Villasanta and General Marcelo Garbo of ISAFP with units of the PNP SAF and NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) as their main force.
He added that none of them who were part of the planning in the CIDG and PDEA (except their
K-9 dogs) were asked to take part or even advised.
Magalong also expressed his frustration after finding out that some of the personalities inside the Bilibid were not included in the transfer to the NBI detention. Under the ''Cronus'' plan, he said the CIDG and PNP were supposed to raid one part of the prison controlled by Herbert Colanggo, while the other area controlled by Jaybee Sebastian would be raided by the PDEA and NBI. The high profile convicts would have also been brought and isolated in either
Palawan
Palawan (), officially the Province of Palawan ( cyo, Probinsya i'ang Palawan; tl, Lalawigan ng Palawan), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in ...
or
Zamboanga. He said none of them were implemented.
Sanchez's testimony
Presidential Security Guard Joenel Sanchez, who was assigned as security aide of then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for five years, testified before the House Committee of Justice on October 6, 2016. In his testimony, Sanchez claimed that De Lima indeed had an affair with Ronnie Dayan, who was accused of receiving bribes from drug lords in the Bilibid.
He also claimed that the former justice secretary and her driver had mobile phone recordings of their sexual acts which he and other security aides have personally seen and that their relationship ended in May 2015 when another close-in security aide, Warren Cristobal, replaced Dayan as head of her security team.
On accusations by inmate Herbert Colanggo of serving as a bagman for De Lima, Sanchez claimed that he did know his manager Renante Diaz through his colleague Vic Mercado. While he denied that he received any money from Colanggo, Sanchez admitted that he often delivered Colanggo's "letter requests" and concert invites to De Lima.
He also admitted to receiving a total of from Renante Diaz in three instances.
Sebastian's testimony
On October 10, 2016,
Jaybee Sebastian testified before the House Committee on Justice two weeks after he was injured in the
2016 New Bilibid Prison riot
The Philippine drug war, known as the War on Drugs, is the intensified anti-drug campaign of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, who served office from June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2022. The campaign reduced drug proliferation in t ...
. A key witness in the Bilibid drug trade who was allegedly the most influential inmate during the previous administration due to his links to the former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Sebastian denied De Lima's earlier claim that he was forced to testify in the committee or that he was working as a government asset of the present administration. He claimed he was actually stabbed inside the Bilibid by inmates connected to De Lima, one of whom he identified as convict ex-Chief Inspector Clarence Dongail, to prevent him from testifying before the House Committee.
In his testimony after being granted an immunity from suit by the House Speaker, Sebastian claims De Lima was the drug protector in the Bilibid and that he did raise funds to help bankroll her senatorial bid for the
May 2016 Senate elections.
He said he had given a total of to De Lima mostly through her security aide, Joenel Sanchez, whom he also claimed was romantically linked to the former Justice secretary. He went on to describe De Lima's relationship with Sanchez whom he saw were holding hands in the Bilibid and whose term of endearment for each other was "Sweetie."
He claimed to have spoken with De Lima around twelve times during this whole transaction and that his first drug money amounting to was remitted to Sanchez right after the
December 2014 Bilibid raid. In his first phone call to De Lima after the raid, Sebastian recalled asking the secretary if she already received the "gift." The secretary allegedly replied "Yes, Jaybee. Merry Christmas." In January 2015, Sebastian said he personally gave another to De Lima herself at the office of Bureau of Corrections chief Franklin Bucayu where he was told by De Lima to just leave the money as Sanchez was not around. Between March and May 2015, Sebastian claimed he was able to raise another drug money and gave it to Sanchez at his Bilibid TV3 office. He said the stash of money composed of bills, were placed in paper bags.
Sebastian confessed to the Committee that the millions of pesos he raised for De Lima was sourced entirely from the illegal drug trade. When asked by
Compostela Valley
Davao de Oro, officially the Province of Davao de Oro ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Davao de Oro; tgl, Lalawigan ng Davao de Oro), is a province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Nabunturan. It used to be part of t ...
Representative Peter Gonzaga about the role of Leila de Lima in the Bilibid trade, he said she was more of a protector than a conspirator in the drug trade.
He added that De Lima was "aware that the source of money originated from drugs. We don't have any other source."
Sebastian also explained that the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison had become so rampant that inmates exchange to a day in illegal transactions right inside the national prison.
Towards the end of the hearing, Sebastian said he was willing to undergo a
lie detector test
Lie detection is an assessment of a verbal statement with the goal to reveal a possible intentional deceit. Lie detection may refer to a cognitive process of detecting deception by evaluating message content as well as non-verbal cues. It also ma ...
to prove his claims regarding the illegal drug trade at the Bilibid Prison.
Dayan's testimony
![Ronald dela Rosa and Ronnie Dayan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Ronald_dela_Rosa_and_Ronnie_Dayan.jpg)
The House Committee on Justice resumed its probe on the Bilibid drug trade after the arrest of Ronnie Dayan, De Lima's former driver, bodyguard and lover, on November 22, 2016 in
San Juan, La Union
San Juan, officially the Municipality of San Juan ( ilo, Ili ti San Juan; fil, Bayan ng San Juan), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 40,507 people.
Histor ...
. The House of Representatives has ordered Dayan's arrest since October 10, 2016 after he was cited in contempt for failing to appear in the October 6th hearing where he has been implicated by witnesses as De Lima's bagman in the Bilibid drug trade. On November 24, 2016, during the resumption of the Bilibid probe at the House Committee on Justice, Dayan explained his decision to hide and not appear before the House Committee. He said he was following Senator Leila de Lima's advise not to show up in the House hearing.
His daughter, Hanna Mae, was then presented to confirm his claim. She showed to the committee members the two
Viber
Viber, or Rakuten Viber, is a cross-platform voice over IP (VoIP) and instant messaging (IM) software application owned by Japanese multinational company Rakuten, provided as freeware for the Google Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS a ...
messages sent on October 1 by De Lima, whom she called "Tita Lei" (Aunt Lei), which she saved in her smartphone. It read "Please tell (Dayan) to go into hiding in the mean time. This is all Speaker Alvarez's fault and dictated by Digong (President Duterte)." She went on to say "They will only feast on him (Dayan), and me and him, if he appears in the hearing."
Hanna Mae also presented De Lima's message sent later that day when she asked if her father will get arrested if he does not show up in the hearing. The senator responded "Isn't he really hiding in the first place?"
In his four-page affidavit which he said he was not forced to execute nor was he rewarded for by the government, Ronnie Dayan admitted his relationship with De Lima and narrated his experience working for the former Justice secretary.
He said their 7-year relationship started in 2007, two to three months after he was hired as driver and bodyguard in De Lima's law firm in
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
. He said De Lima was aware that he was married since 1991 and that he had kids. He also claimed that De Lima's oldest son knew about their relationship. He said they were together when she moved to the
Commission on Human Rights
A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights.
The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...
in 2008 and started living in with her in
Parañaque
Parañaque, officially the City of Parañaque ( fil, Lungsod ng Parañaque, ), is a first class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to t ...
when she transferred to the
Department of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...
in 2010. Dayan also admitted that the money to build his house in
Urbiztondo, Pangasinan
Urbiztondo, officially the Municipality of Urbiztondo ( pag, Baley na Urbiztondo; ilo, Ili ti Urbiztondo; tgl, Bayan ng Urbiztondo), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a ...
came from De Lima in 2007, for the lot and for the house.
As close-in security of De Lima, Dayan narrated his duties at the Bilibid prison. He said he accompanied De Lima inside the maximum security compound several times but that he was eventually replaced by Joenel Sanchez and other Presidential Security Guards from
Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace ( fil, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, ; es, Palacio de Malacañán), officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila distric ...
.
On accusations by then Bureau of Corrections chief Rafael Ragos of receiving in drug money on behalf of De Lima, Dayan denied getting such amount for himself, but admitted there were two occasions when he saw Ragos hand over an envelope and a plastic bag, which he thought contained a box of shoes, to the Justice secretary De Lima.
He said Ragos used him as a bridge to De Lima for his promotion in the Bureau of Corrections. Dayan however denied knowing any of the Bilibid inmates or receiving any money from them.
On accusations by self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa during a parallel
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
Committee on Justice probe on the
Death of Rolando Espinosa
Rolando Rosal Espinosa, the mayor of Albuera, Leyte, Albuera, Leyte, died on November 5, 2016, at the Baybay City Provincial Jail. He was detained at the jail due to his arrest for illegal drug possession in October 2016. According to the Crimina ...
the day before that he received his millions of drug money on behalf of De Lima, Dayan confessed that he did receive those money from Espinosa on five separate occasions in 2014.
The money amounting to that Kerwin claimed was for De Lima's 2016 senatorial bid, was disbursed in different tranches to Dayan.
Dayan claimed that while he thought Kerwin was an engineer who was one of De Lima's campaign donors as what he had been told, he did meet with Kerwin for the first delivery in August 2014 at the parking lot of the
SM Mall of Asia
SM Mall of Asia, also abbreviated as SM MoA, or simply Mall of Asia or MoA, is a large shopping mall in the Philippines, located at Bay City, Pasay, Philippines, within the SM Central Business Park, a reclaimed area within Manila Bay, and the ...
in
Pasay
Pasay, officially the City of Pasay ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasay; ), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, i ...
. He said Kerwin approached him in his car with a paper bag and said, "This is for Ma'am."
They met again in October 2014 and two times in November 2014 at the same place. Dayan said he was always alone whenever he would meet with Kerwin and that he automatically handed them over to De Lima at her house and straight in her own room, in secret.
Despite the discrepancy in the dates of their meetings, Dayan also confirmed Kerwin's testimony that they had met in
Burnham Park in
Baguio
Baguio ( ,
), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
with Leila de Lima before the elections. He said he received the money from Kerwin after this meeting at the parking lot of the Alexandria Residence where Kerwin was staying.
Reaction
Vice President
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...
Leni Robredo
Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; born Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona; April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
She was the wife of the late Jesse ...
criticized President Duterte's tirade against party mate Senator Leila de Lima. In a statement released by the
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left.
__TOC__ Active liberal parties
This is a li ...
, the party stressed that the senator should be given support and not be condemned or disrespected. Robredo urged the government to "stick to issues" as "personal attacks don't help."
The
Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines; ceb, Hugpong sa mga Obispo nga Katoliko sa Pilipinas;
bcl, Komperensya kan mga Obispo Katoliko kan Pilipinas; hil, Komperensya sang mga Obispo Katoliko sang Pilipinas; ilo, Kumperensya ti ...
also came to Senator Leila de Lima's defense and expressed alarm over people's reaction to the
public shaming
Public humiliation or public shaming is a form of punishment whose main feature is dishonoring or disgracing a person, usually an offender or a prisoner, especially in a public place. It was regularly used as a form of judicially sanctioned puni ...
by Duterte. CBCP Public Affairs executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano gave this reaction after the President called de Lima "immoral" for her relationship with her married driver and alleged Bilibid drug money collector. He said "It’s as if what the President did was perfectly fine. When Mr. Duterte himself was called names by his detractors, people came to his defense and bullied his critics."
Senate President
President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate. It corresponds to the speaker in some other assemblies.
The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for ex ...
Aquilino Pimentel III
Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III (born January 20, 1964), commonly known as Koko Pimentel, is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as the Senate Minority Leader since 2022. He has been a Senator since 2011 and previously served as t ...
said Congress should respect Senator Leila de Lima's decision not to attend the House investigation and cited inter-parliamentary courtesy extended to members of both Houses. Earlier, Pimentel rejected calls for a Senate probe saying "we have no business investigating anybody in the Senate" unless an actual complaint or resolution is filed calling for an investigation of any one of its members.
Former President and
Deputy Speaker
The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.
Usage
The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, House Deputy Spe ...
expressed her support for the congressional probe on the Bilibid drug trade. In her first press conference since her release from four years of detention, Arroyo stated that she was "very confident that due process is going to be pursued, unlike the time I was being persecuted."
See also
*
Rodrigo Duterte speech during a wake visit to killed-in-action NavForEastMin soldiers, August 2016
*
Philippine Drug War
The Philippine drug war, known as the War on Drugs, is the intensified anti-drug campaign of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, who served office from June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2022. The campaign reduced drug proliferation in th ...
References
{{Rodrigo Duterte
New Bilibid Prison
2016 in the Philippines
2016 scandals
Crime in the Philippines
Political scandals in the Philippines
Illegal drug trade in Asia
Drugs in the Philippines
Political corruption in the Philippines
Law enforcement in Metro Manila
Law enforcement scandals
Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte