DOJ asks NBI to probe deaths in Bilibid

The DOJ chief met with Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag on Monday for a briefing on the death of Sebastian, a witness in the drug case against Senator Leila de Lima. (PCOO file photo)

MANILA — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra is asking the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a probe on the death of high profile persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), including Jaybee Sebastian.

This is to dispel any doubts regarding the death of Sebastian and the eight others, who were drug convicts.

The DOJ chief met with Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag on Monday for a briefing on the death of Sebastian, a witness in the drug case against Senator Leila de Lima.

In a statement, the DOJ said Bantag confirmed to Guevarra that 21 PDLs confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) have died since March of this year.

Presently, there are five PDLs in isolation in Site Harry, the biggest isolation facility in BuCor with a bed capacity of 300.

Following protocol in the BuCor in the event of an inmate’s death from Covid-19, the cadavers were cremated within 12 hours.