Aguirre probes special privileges for high-profile inmates

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has ordered an investigation into allegations that special privileges have been granted to high-profile inmates who testified against Senator Leila de Lima and are now being held at the custodial center of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Camp Aguinaldo.

The Secretary has already tasked Bureau of Corrections (BUCOR) Director General Benjamin Delos Santos to conduct the probe on the high-profile inmates of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) held in Camp Aguinaldo.

“The undersigned received confidential report that some of the inmates temporarily confined at the AFP Custodial and Detention Center at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City are enjoying special privileges,” Aguirre informed Delos Santos in a memorandum dated Feb. 8.

“If so warranted by your investigation, any special privileges granted to these inmates, be it in the form of special favors, improvements and equipment in violation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DND (Department of National Defense) and the DOJ (Department of Justice), shall be immediately confiscated or dismantled,” he stressed in his memorandum.

The investigation was ordered following accusations made by De Lima that Aguirre immediately restored the special privileges to the high-profile inmates after their testimonies before the House of Representatives Committee on Justice which was conducting an inquiry on the proliferation of illegal drugs at the NBP.

Sen. De Lima claimed to have proof that Aguirre granted the special privileges which include the use of mobile phones and other communication gadgets.

“I absolutely deny it. I made no such order,” Sec. Aguirre said in a statement.

“However, allow me to point out that Sen. De Lima used the term ‘restores,’ it only means that she is admitting that such privileges were existing during her time as Secretary of Justice!” Aguirre pointed out.

During the hearings conducted by the House Committee on Justice chaired by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, high-profile inmates of the NBP including Jaybee Sebastian and Herbert Colanggo admitted giving millions of pesos to De Lima to fund her senatorial campaign in exchange for protection and special privileges in the Bilibid.

Though she denied the allegations, De Lima snubbed the hearings.

Also, during the conduct of the hearings in the House, de Lima claimed that the witnesses including the high-profile inmates were either coerced or offered benefits including clemency to testify against her.