Security heightened at hospital to secure Bilibid riot survivors’ safety

Security has been heightened at Medical Center Muntinlupa where the three wounded New Bilibid Prison inmates are currently confined.

High-profile inmates Peter Co, Vicente Sy and Jaybee Sebastian were injured in a riot that broke out at the national penitentiary Wednesday morning that also left Chinese drug lord Tony Co dead.

Aside from SWAT, authorities have also deployed members of the Bureau of Corrections and the Special Action Force to ensure safety at the hospital.

While confined, Sebastian gave a sworn statement to SPO2 Allan Acidilla about his knowledge on the incident.

Sebastian claimed to have talked to fellow inmate and attacker Tom Doniña and former chief inspector Clarence Dongail before the incident happened, as reported by Victoria Tulad on Unang Balita Friday morning.

He stated that in their conversation, Peter Co warned Jenny, the wife of Tony Co, to avoid going out with Dongail’s wife because she might endanger her own safety.

“Sama ka ng sama dyan sa asawa ni Dongail. Sa dami ng katarantaduhan ng asawa niyan, baka gantihan si Grace at imbis na ang bala ay para sa kanya ay ikaw ang sumalo,” Sebastian quoted Peter Co.

However, Dongail believes that it was Sebastian and inmate Hanz Tan who actually plotted to kill Dongail’s wife, but the former police was laughing while he was narrating it.

Doniña, on the other hand, said that they should forget the issue and left. It was then that Tony Co, Peter Co and Sy entered their cells. Dongail followed them immediately.

When Dongail and Doniña left, Sebastian proceeded to watch television at the mess hall. But he was stunned when he felt something stabbed his back and realized it was Doniña.

Sebastian tried to shout for help but his voice was overpowered by the screams of the inmates from the other cell.

Sebastian does not recall any friction between him and Doniña. All he knows is that Doniña is an ally of Dongail, he said. He also claimed that no one forced him to make a statement.

His lawyer, Eduardo Arriba, is still contemplating on filing a case against Doniña. He also hopes that Sebastian may be given the chance to speak with President Rodrigo Duterte to reveal his knowledge on the illegal drug trade inside the national penitentiary.

However, Duterte said he would not talk to criminals.

The House of Representatives' justice committee is conducting a probe on the alleged proliferation of the illegal drug trade inside the national penitentiary. Justice Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre II has assured the committee before the NBP incident occurred that Sebastian will be present at the next hearing.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV also said on Thursday he will ask the Senate to subpoena Sebastian to a legislative investigation on the stabbing incident at the NBP. —Erwin S. Colcol/KG, GMA News