THE Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) filed Thursday a supplemental complaint-affidavit with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Senator Leila de Lima and seven others.
VACC Chairman Dante Jimenez said the complaint-affidavit includes the findings of the House of Representatives' committee on justice on the narcotics trade inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
The House inquiry into the illegal drugs trade inside the penitentiary produced testimonies from witness who alleged that the then-Justice Secretary received millions of pesos from drug lords serving time in the penitentiary that she used to bankroll her Senate bid in the May polls.
Jimenez said the complaint-affidavit included the testimonies of the witnesses, including NBP inmates, who were presented during the House inquiry, except that of convicted kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian.
Sebastian allegedly helped raise De Lima's campaign funds from drug lords serving time inside the penitentiary.
The complaint-affidavit included the testimonies of former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) deputy director and former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos, NBI agent Jovencio Ablen, Presidential Security Group (PSG) member Joenel Sanchez, PSG member Romel Falcasantos.
The VACC believes that the statement of all the witnesses are relevant to the case, as all of them said that de Lima benefited from the monthly payola she allegedly received from the drug lords.
"All the witnesses who testified before the House committee on justice affirmed the rampant trading and sale of drugs within and outside the NBP, as facilitated by the said inmates from within the said prison facility. There is no doubt about it," the complaint read.
Aside from de Lima and Sebastian, other respondents in the case of violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, former BuCor Director Jesus Bucayu, De Lima security aide Ronnie Palisoc Dayan, Joenel Sanchez and Jose Adrian Dera, alias Jad De Vera. (Sunnex)
