MANILA, October 27, 2016 (PNA) — The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) a supplemental complaint which seeks to bolster the drug trafficking charges it had earlier filed against former Justice Secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima.

The group, through its president Dante Jimenez, said the 52-page supplemental complaint include the affidavits of 18 witnesses who gave their testimonies during the hearings at the House of Representatives regarding the proliferation of drugs at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

The affidavits were made by the following law enforcement agency personnel:

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Deputy Rafael Ragos

NBI Agent Jovencio Ablen

PSG Joenel Sanchez

PSG Romel Falcasantos

Superintendent Jerry Valeroso

Reynante Diaz

Affidavits were also submitted by the following inmates:

Rodolfo Magleo

Herbert Colanggo

Noel Martinez

Jaime Patcho

Hans Anton Tan

Froilan Trestiza

Jojo Baligad

Engelberto Durano

Nonilo Arile

Joel Capones

Peter Co

Vicente Sy

Jimenez said the supplemental complaint includes a copy of the report of the House of Representatives Justice committee on the matter.

De Lima is facing violation of Section 5 (sale) in relation to Section 26 (b) (conspiracy to sell) of Republic Act 9165 known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for allegedly conspiring with other respondents in connection with the illegal drug trade inside the NBP during her term as Justice Secretary.

Isinama dito proceedings sa Committee on Justice of House of Representative para ipakita sa magiimbetiga dito na complete na ito and let the DoJ and the NBI look into it and kami handa anytime to be called,” Jimenez told reporters after filing the supplemental complaint at the DOJ’s main office in Manila.

The VACC has specifically charged de Lima, former DOJ Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Franklin Bucayu, de Lima’s former bodyguard and alleged boyfriend Ronnie Dayan, her former security aides Joenel Sancez and Jose Adrian Dera, convicted kidnapper Jaybee Sebastian, and Bucayu’s alleged bagman Wilfredo Ely for violation of Section 5, in relation to Section 26 (b) of Republic Act 9165.

Earlier, Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II created a five-man panel to conduct a preliminary investigation and determine whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of drug trafficking case filed by VACC as well as former officials of the NBI against De Lima.

Aguirre designated Senior Assistant State Prosecutor (SAS) Peter Ong as chair of the panel, with Senior Assistant City Prosecutors (SACP) Alexander Ramos, Leila Llanes, and Evangeline Viudez-Canobas and Assistant State Prosecutor (ASP) Editha Fernandez as members.

The panel will conduct a preliminary investigation on the two separate complaints for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and former former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) deputy directors Reynaldo Esmeralda and Ruel Lasala.

To date, however, the panel headed by Ong has not yet issued a subpoena which will order respondents to respond to the complaint via a counter-affidavit. (Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan/PNA)