Convicted kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian is already willing to talk before the House Committee on Justice but not about the drug proliferation inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said Monday.
Sebastian, based on the testimonies of his fellow inmates, was said to have led the 鈥渇undraising鈥� to support the senatorial bid of former Justice Secretary and now Senator Leila De Lima by requiring gang leaders to sell 20 to 30 kilos of shabu per month.
Aguirre said someone has informed him that Sebastian is willing to talk but only about the food supply anomaly causing P10-million monthly loss.
鈥淗e wants to testify that about P10million per month for the food supply is distributed to high officials in the government,鈥� Aguirre said.
The justice chief said he rejected Sebastian鈥檚 offer and said they no longer need his testimony.
鈥淪a testimonial evidence lang, napakarami na kaya baka hindi na kailangan ang testimony ni Jaybee Sebastian (we have a lot of testimonies so I don鈥檛 think Jaybee Sebastian鈥檚 testimony is necessary). I don鈥檛 want [to present him as a witness] if hindi rin siya magsasabi ng buong katotohanan (if he wouldn鈥檛 tell the truth),鈥� Aguirre said.
Should Sebastian be willing to tell all, Aguirre said the Department of Justice is not closing its doors on granting him immunity as the other inmate witnesses already presented in the probe, in spite of his participation in the NBP drug trade.
鈥淲ith respect to immunity, nasa kanya yun, kung aamin sya鈥� 鈥榩ag ginawa niya (it鈥檚 up to him, if he would confess. If he does), we will consider it,鈥� Aguirre said. RAM
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