8 of Bilibid 19 inmates urge Aguirre not to proceed with transfer of detention

Eight of the so-called "Bilibid 19" inmates who had linked Senator Leila De Lima to the illegal drug trade inside the national penitentiary urged Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Wednesday not to implement the order of transfer of prisoners within the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

The inmates include Hans Tan, Peter Co, Jojo Baligad, Vicente Sy and Froilan Trestiza, according to their counsel Francis Acejas III.

"It's an appeal to the Justice Secretary that in the meantime they remain at the [medium security compound] for their safety and protection as called for in the WPP [Witness Protection Program]," Acejas said in a text message to GMA News Online.

Acejas said the "uncertainty" surrounding the status of those inmates under the WPP "becomes worrisome to themselves because of the high risk of exposure to danger if they are transferred immediately back to Building 14."

"They currently feel shortchanged [by the] DOJ [if it] will suddenly remove their security protection by sending [them] back to the maximum compound," said Acejas, legal adviser of the Karapatan sa Batas at Lipunang may Katarungan (Kabalikat).

He said there is "reasonable ground" to believe that certain "shadowy or unknown personalities whom the WPP witnesses accused of illegal drug activities" will have the motive to "disrupt and discredit their participation as witnesses."

"Effectively, their disqualification from the program will weaken, if not fail, the prosecution of the drug cases against the persons involved," Acejas said.

Not retracting testimonies

Acejas, however, clarified reports that the inmates have been thinking about retracting their testimony against De Lima should the Department of Justice (DOJ) push through with the transfer.

"There is no threat at all to recant," he said.

Ferdinand Topacio, counsel for other Bilibid 19 inmates such as Herbert Colanggo, Rodolfo Magleo and Noel Martinez, also said that his clients would not recant their testimony.

Topacio said he got the assurance when he visited them at the Intelligence Service, Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) detention facility in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday afternoon.

"With respect to Vicente Sy and Peter Co, I can show you text messages ng intermediaries nila. Ang sabi sakin, while they don't want to be transferred, walang sinabing magre-recant sila," Topacio said in a phone interview.

Topacio felt some quarters were feeding "wrong information" to Aguirre in order to sow division among the inmates.

The lawyer did not elaborate.

"I don't know who is pulling the strings. But someone is really dying to weaken the case against Senator De Lima and I cannot blame them because this involves several life terms," the lawyer said.

"And this involves the personal liberty of Senator De Lima, so I would not be surprised if they are [moving] heaven and earth and sparing no effort to weaken the case against Senator De Lima."

De Lima is under detention on allegations that she conspired with several individuals and high profile inmates at the national penitentiary to commit illegal drug trading during her term as justice secretary in exchange for millions of pesos in campaign funds.

Under Department Order 496, Aguirre ordered the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to "immediately return" all inmates who were previously transferred from Building 14 to the maximum security or medium security compound and from maximum security to medium security since December 1, 2016.

Building 14 houses high profile inmates who allegedly control up to 75 percent of the illegal drug trade in the country which the government has vowed to dismantle.

The Cabinet official also directed the BuCor to seek his permission first before carrying out the transfer of detention facility of high profile or high risk inmates and/or inmates convicted of drug-related offenses within the NBP.

Aguirre gave the BuCor 10 days to comply with his directive, which also includes the submission of a list and inventory of all inmates who were previously transferred to another detention facility.

The report should contain the reason for the transfer, date of transfer, original detention facility, and the detention facility to which they were transferred.

The Muntinlupa City-based prison facility currently holds 24,000 inmates. — RSJ/KVD, GMA News