Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag said they could prove that the death of high-profile inmate Jaybee Niño Sebastian died of COVID-19.
Bantag refuted conspiracy theories that Sebastian was allegedly released from New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
In Marisol Abdurahman’s report on “24” Oras, Bantag insisted that BuCor could prove that Sebastian and other high-profile inmates who were declared COVID-19 deaths indeed succumbed to the respiratory disease.
“Definitely, kayang-kaya,” the BuCor chief said. “Kasi COVID talaga e. Ano’ ng magagawa mo, COVID na nga ‘yon?”
(Definitely, we can prove it. They died of COVID, what more can we do about it?)
“Mapapatunayan naman po iyon ng mga laboratory [test] na ginawa sa kanila. Ang swab test po na ginawa namin ay isina-submit namin sa RITM [Research Institute for Tropical Medicine],” NBP Hospital Director Dr. Henry Fabro added.
(Laboratory [tests] performed on them will prove that. The swab test we did, we submitted to RITM.)
GMA News said they received information from individuals close to Sebastian’s relatives that his wife does not believe that he truly died of the virus.
“‘Wag silang magsasalita ng gano’n. Magsasalita ng negative, p— ina. Sa totoo lang, p— ina,” Bantag said in response.
(They should not say that. Speak negatively, son of a b—ch. Honestly, son of a b—ch.)
“Ang question dito, national security na, national health pa, magsasalitang pinatakas? Gago pala ‘yan e. Dahil sabi nila, baka pinatakas. O, magharap kayo sa’kin ng buhay na tao at tingnan natin kung siya ba ‘yon o hindi,” he added.
(The question here is, national security, national health, then they will say we allowed him to escape? That’s stupid. Bring me a living person and see if he is Jaybee or not.)
Also read: DOJ summons BuCor chief over death of Jaybee Sebastian, high-profile inmates
Convicted kidnapper and high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian died of COVID-19, an officer of Panteon de Dasmariñas, where he was cremated.
The officer said members and police officers from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) brought Sebastian’s body last Saturday at around 9:22 pm. The authorities told the crematorium officer that they would pick up the ashes on Sunday afternoon.
Sebastian’s death certificate showed he passed away on Saturday, 10:15 am at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Hospital, NBP Reservation, Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa City.
The certificate also showed Sebastian died of acute myocardial infarction related to COVID-19.