Freddie Aguilar, Sharon Cuneta, Mocha Girls had concerts at NBP, convict says

Performances by Freddie Aguilar, Sharon Cuneta, and the Mocha Girls were some of the celebrities that performed inside the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison, a former police officer convicted of kidnapping told the House committee on justice on Tuesday.

“During the tenure of De Lima, the [NBP] maximum security compound was called the Little Las Vegas. It was called little Las Vegas dahil maraming concert na nangayayari, your honor,” said witness Rodolfo Magleo.

The Justice Committee was holding a hearing on the proliferation of illegal drug trade in the NBP during De Lima’s term as the Secretary of Justice.

“And these are not just ordinary concerts but concerts of famous celebrities, like Freddie Aguilar, Sharon Cuneta, Mocha Girls, Ethel Booba…some other celebrities, comedians, hindi ko na po maalala,” Magleo said.

In the same testimony, Magleo said the NBP, during the term of De Lima, had also became the “drug trade center of Philippines” with convicted foreign national druglords manufacturing the drugs there and selling them outside, through their Filipino agents.

At the latter part of his testimony, Magleo said even high-profile inmates such as Herbert Colangco and Jaybee Sebastian were also regularly holding “drinking spree” in the NBP.

“Si Herbert Ampang Colangco, kung magpapasok ng beer truck, truck. At kapag may concert siya more than 300 guests…Dahil pogi daw yun, maraming bisita, including celebrities, at walang pumipigil,” Magleo said.

Magleo said the jail guards in the NBP are allowing these things to happen as Colangco, Sebastian and other high-profile inmates are protected by De Lima as they were supposedly remitting money from the drugs operations to the latter.

“Milyones ang ibinibigay ni Herbert Colangco kay Secretary De Lima. I think P2 million to P3 million a month. At every concert niya nagbibigay pa siya ng P1 million kay De Lima,” Magleo said.

With regard to Sebastian, Magleo said it was known in the BNP that the former was pooling money for De Lima’s senatorial bid.

“Your honor, very vocal siya (Sebastian) lagi at sinasabi niya na malakas siya kay Secretary De Lima. Kitang kita ng lahat pati nga BuCor and mga police, alam nila lahat yan…Malakas talaga siya [kay De Lima] The fact na nagpapa-concert siya (Sebastian), at kinabukasan nandun ulit yung mga babae,” Magleo said.

In a statement, Senator Francis Pangilinan said his wife Cuneta on July 10, 2012, went to the New Bilibid Prison for the taping of her talk show, "Kasama mo Kapatid," which had an episode featuring the life of inmates.

"She sang four songs for the closing portion, which is the customary format of the show. She sang 'Maging Sino Ka Man,' 'Tubig at Langis,' 'Kahit Konting Pagtingin,' and 'Kahit Maputi Na ang Buhok Ko' but only to support RockEd's outreach program for prisoners," Pangilinan said.

Meanwhile, in a Twitter post, social activist Gang Badoy said their civic group Rock Ed n was the one who arranged for Cuneta’s performance in the NBP as part of their outreach program for inmates. —NB, GMA News