Sen. Leila de Lima at 17 iba pa na sangkot umano sa illegal drug trade sa Bilibid, kinasuhan na ng NBI pic.twitter.com/jqP4gkUGQz |@JohnsonDZMM

— DZMM TeleRadyo (@DZMMTeleRadyo) November 10, 2016

MANILA - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday filed multiple charges against Senator Leila de Lima and 17 others for their alleged role in the proliferation of illicit drugs inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP).

The NBI sued De Lima, a former Justice secretary accused by President Rodrigo Duterte of accepting money from convicted drug lords, for the violation of:

- the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs;
- Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019);
- the Presidential Decree (PD) 46 Punishing the Receiving and Giving of Gifts of Public Officials and Employees; and
- Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (Republic Act 6173).

De Lima recommended to be charged in violation of Dangerous Drugs Act & Anti-Graft & Corrupt Practices act basing on NBP House hearings. pic.twitter.com/KJnuKktl47

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) November 10, 2016

Also named in the complaint were:

- former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III;
- former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Franklin Jesus Bucayu;
- former Bucor officer-in-charge Rafael Ragos;
- Joenel Sanchez, former security aide of De Lima;
- Ronnie Dayam, former driver and bodyguard of De Lima;
- NBI agent Jovencio Ablen Jr.;
- Wilfredo Ely, former staff of Bucayu;
- Lyn Sagum, personal assistant of De Lima;
- a Julius Rejuso; and
- an alias George.

The charge sheet also included several high-profile inmates who testified to the sale and distribution of illegal drugs, which is punishable under RA 9165.

Among them were Jaybee Sebastian, Herbert Colanggo, Engelbert Durano, Vicente Sy, Wu Tuan Yuan alias Peter Co and Jojo Baligad.

Also included in the list of recommended to be charged are the inmates who testified in the NBP drug trade hearings | via @Nikobaua pic.twitter.com/ML3wwjYBAp

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) November 10, 2016

The charges were filed by NBI spokesperson spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin and NBI Anti-Illegal Drugs Division chief, Atty. Joel Tuvera.

Tuvera said the complaint was grounded on the testimony of witnesses at a House of Representatives inquiry into the alleged Bilibid narcotics ring.

It does not cover an Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) report on the bank transactions of personalities implicated in the underground trade.

Lavin said the NBI is confident that the evidence against the accused is strong.

"Klarong sinabi ni Secretary de Lima in one of the meetings in the kubol of Jaybee Sebastian that henceforth, the illegal drug trade in the Bilibid should be centralized or coursed through Jaybee Sebastian," he said.

"We have interlocking confessions. Sanga-sanga itong confessions, iyung sinabi ng isa, vinalidate ng isa, ini-corroborate ng isa. We believe we have the case," he said.

-- With reports from Johnson Manabat, DZMM; Nico Baua, ABS-CBN News