(Eagle News)– Aside from Senator Leila De Lima, high-profile inmate Herbert Colangco on Tuesday (September 20) said that former Justice Undersecretary Francis Baraan III benefited from inmate transfers at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
Colangco said it was Baraan who was the one to approach if they wanted their inmate transferred from one security compound to another, like from medium to maximum security compound.
“Halimbawa, may Chinese [inmate] nagka-problema sa aking nasasakupan… [sasabihin niya], ‘Chairman may tao ako, nasa medium. Gusto ko balik maximum. Ako na balik, chairman, magkano gastos, sige,'” Colangco told the committee during the House probe on the proliferation of illegal drugs inside the national penitentiary.
Colangco added that he would instruct Reynante Diaz, his talent manager, to speak with a certain “Susan”– alleged bagman of Baraan– to ask how much would it be in exchange for the transfer.
“Sabi ko kay Reynante Diaz, lakarin mo, ito ang pangalan. Sabihin mo, magkano hingin nila. So si Ma’am Susan, iyan din ang ano ni Baraan… Oh sige 500k ibabalik natin sa maximum,” he revealed.
“Si Susan at Baraan, kapag itapon [at] ibalik… Sila po ang puwede i-transact doon para siya na po ang bahala doon,” he added.
The convicted drug dealer admitted also from earning a lot from inmate transfers, saying he would crank up the amount so that he could get the financial quota intended for the campaign of Senator Leila De Lima.
“Kapag sinabi nila [Baraan] na P500,000.. sinasabi ko doon sa Chinese, P800,000 para may kita akong P300,000,” Colangco stated.
Colangco told the House panel that there was an instance when Baraan demanded P3 million to transfer an inmate, but he would ask P4 million from the high-profile Chinese inmate requesting the transfer.
“Ang maximum ay Las Vegas,” answered Colangco on why inmates want to transfer to the maximum security compound.
Colangco even mentioned former Bureau of Corrections Director Franklin Jesus Bucayu as the one who received P1.2 million from him.
It was President Rodrigo Duterte who named Baraan as the undersecretary who was included in the drug matrix at the NBP.
Baraan had denied all links of him to the drug trade inside NBP.
Baraan also stressed that he is prepared to face any possible complaint that may be filed against him
