Nineteen prisoners of New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City had reportedly succumbed to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), including nine high-profile drug lords, according to a list anonymously released to journalists on July 18.
Among those who allegedly died from the disease include Jaybee Sebastian, convicted of high—profile drug trafficking. In his death certificate, the 40-year-old man died of a heart attack due to complications that arose from COVID-19.
Others included in the list include Benjamin Marcelo, leader of Chinese inmates at NBP; Zhang Zhu Li, Jimmy Kinsing Hung, Francis Go, Jimmy Yang, Eugene Chua, Ryan Ong and Amin Imam Buratong, convicted operator of the shabu tiangge in Pasig City.
In a report by Inquirer.net, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said the Bureau of Corrections paid Dasmariñas City PHP15,000 for each deceased prisoner. However, their body bags weren’t opened and that the people at the crematorium only based the bodies on their death certificates.
Senator Tito Sotto, however, called for an investigation about their immediate deaths, saying the was possible body-switching that occurred.
“They could have just replaced the body. How would we know? There were no more fingerprints,” he said.
Photo credit: Inquirer.net
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