Muntinlupa Court Orders Return of 11 Inmates to New Bilibid Prison in De Lima Case

MANILA: In a significant development related to the drug case against former senator Leila de Lima, the Muntinlupa court has sanctioned the return of 11 inmates to the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). This decision follows the approval of a request by defense lawyers to move the inmates from their current detention at the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro province.

According to Philippines News Agency, the transfer of inmates, including notorious figures Herbert Colangco and Wu Tuan Yuan alias Peter Co, is now underway. The decision came after De Lima, who has been granted temporary liberty, petitioned the court in November to move these inmates due to concerns over their safety and allegations of coercion to testify against her. The inmates, previously held at the Pasugui Sub-prison facility, had expressed fears for their safety and the safety of their families.

The list of inmates ordered for transfer includes German L. Agojo, Tomas B. Doniña, Jaime V. Patcho, Engelberto Durano, Jerry R. Pepino, Hans Tan, Noel G. Martinez, Nonilo A. Arile, and Joel D. Capones, alongside Co and Colangco. Peter Co and Agojo are the two remaining ‘Bilibid Kings’ after the deaths of Jaybee Sebastian and Vicente Sy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colangco, convicted for multiple robberies, is known for his testimony regarding alleged bribes to prison officials for contraband, while Co, incarcerated since 2002, claimed involvement in plots against President Rodrigo Duterte and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Agojo, convicted for the murder of Batangas RTC Judge Voltaire Rosales, has also been a central figure in this complex case.

The transfer of these inmates marks a new chapter in the ongoing legal proceedings against De Lima, spotlighting the intricate dynamics within the Philippine penal system.