2 crime kingpins to link De Lima to drug trade: Aguirre | ABS-CBN

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2 crime kingpins to link De Lima to drug trade: Aguirre

2 crime kingpins to link De Lima to drug trade: Aguirre

Ina Reformina,

ABS-CBN News

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Herberto Colangco and Sen. Leila de Lima. Composite photo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Two convicted crime lords will testify before a House of Representatives investigation on how the illegal drug trade was run from inside the national penitentiary, with government officials allegedly on the take, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said Friday.

The detained kingpins, Herbert Colangco and Noel Martinez, were allegedly directed by a fellow inmate, Jaybee Sebastian, to sell large amounts of "shabu" as early as 2013 to contribute to then Justice Secretary Leila de Lima's senatorial campaign this year, Aguirre said.

"Very credible yan, ‘di katulad ni Matobato. Hindi ka maaaring mag-coach ng 12 testigo na nagkakatugma tugma ang kanilang sinasabi [They are very credible, unlike Matobato. You can't coach 12 witnesses whose testimonies match]," Aguirre said.

Aguirre was referring to Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed hitman who claimed President Rodrigo Duterte ordered killings in Davao City during his term as mayor.

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Matobato made the allegations in a Senate hearing organized by De Lima to look into the hundreds of deaths linked to Duterte's war on drugs.

Aguirre said Colangco and Martinez executed sworn statements ahead of their testimonies in the House hearings, which will start on Tuesday. No concessions were given to the convicts, he added.

At least two witnesses from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will testify that De Lima personally received drug money from them, of at least P5-million per delivery, Aguirre said.

These deliveries were allegedly witnessed by De Lima's then driver and alleged ex-lover, Ronnie Dayan.

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