‘Bilibid Boys’ cheer over explosion at NBP

MANILA, Philippines - The 19 drug lords currently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) “rejoiced” upon learning of the grenade blast at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) last Jan. 8, sources said yesterday.

The explosion killed one inmate and wounded 19 others, but left the apparent target of the explosion – an inmate named Jaybee Sebastian – unscathed. The grenade had exploded in the building of the Commando gang, led by Sebastian.

The drug lords, who have been nicknamed the “Bilibid Boys,” were allegedly watching television at the NBI’s detention area when the news broke.

“They were shouting and cheering so we rushed to their detention room to check what happened. As it turned out, they were watching the news that said Jaybee Sebastian was a possible target of the blast,” a jail guard of the NBI told The STAR.

The mood was “so festive” that one would think someone’s basketball team had just won the championship or Manny Pacquiao has finally beaten Floyd Mayweather Jr., he said. 

The “Bilibid Boys” are Peter Co, Herbert Colangco, Eugene Chua, Chua Sam Li, Vincent Sy, George Sy, Joel Capones, Amin Imam Boratong, Clarence Donggail, Tom Chua, Rommel Capones, Jojo Baligad, Willy Chua, Michael Ong, Jacky King Sy, Willy Sy, Noel Martinez and Herman Agojo.

It was not immediately clear who among them shouted and cheered but the noise came from their room, the guard said. 

Favoritism

Another source, who also requested anonymity, explained that these men are competitors of Sebastian in the illegal drug trade. It is probable that Sebastian’s non-inclusion in the list of “Bilibid Boys” led them to believe that there was “favoritism.” 

Peter Co belonged to Sebastian’s Commando gang, while Colangco is seen as his direct competitor not only in the underworld, but also in a “popularity contest” within the prison.

“Like Colangco, Sebastian held lavish music concerts. He also has an extravagant kubol furnished with appliances and furniture,” the source said. 

In her previous interviews, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima repeatedly stressed that more high-profile inmates would be plucked out of NBP. 

“This is just the beginning,” she said, adding the Bilibid Boys were prioritized because of reports that they are in control of about “20 to 50 percent” of the local narcotics trade. 

The source explained that De Lima’s “good and genuine intentions to solve the problems in Bilibid” is laudable. But the failure to pluck out Sebastian could make the “drug lords” believe that he snitched on them, thus, only causing more trouble. 

“Worse, they might think that Sebastian’s competitors have been removed from the game so he could centralized the illegal drug trade,” the source explained, adding De Lima should “grill” the people who recommended the approved names. 

A third source told The STAR that Sebastian’s name was submitted to the group of law enforcers who were then planning the first raid on the prison last December.

“The list is questionable. Perhaps the NBI was used to take care of Sebastian’s competitors,” the source said.