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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-8/win-gatchalian.webp" alt="Win Gatchalian and Gerald Bantag" />
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(Win Gatchalian and Gerald Bantag (inset))
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Gatchalian said on Friday, July 24, 2020:
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"It's doubtful because not only one but many drug lords died. They cannot be traced."  
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Referring to Bureau of Corrections Director-General Gerald Bantag, he said:
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"He should practice transparency and there should be a public disclosure."
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He said Bantag "should have exercised transparency" in his disclosure of information on the deaths of the inmates.
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He said he knew Bantag as a "straight, no-nonsense guy," having worked with him when he was Valenzuela City jail warden and he was mayor. Gatchalian said:
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"I am quite disappointed that this happened—because you can address your issues with COVID-19 and be transparent." 
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"You have to practice extra transparency to show that you're doing the right thing. You can employ extra transparency measures so the public will know who really died. We don't want a cloud of doubt."
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Instead of invoking the Data Privacy Act that has nothing to do with the deaths, Gatchalian said Bantag should have been more forthright. Bantag should welcome the investigation on the matter and clear his name:
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"This is still unfolding and I haven't seen transparency." 
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Senator Leila de Lima said the rather unusual reaction of the wife of Jaybee Sebastian, which included threats to kill all the prison officials and personnel responsible for Sebastian's death, speaks volume on the circumstances surrounding it.
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She says Sebastian's wife must know something about the dubious circumstances to go hysterical and threaten to kill the NBP people.
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Sebastian, a convicted kidnapper and drug lord, was the government's witness in the illegal drug charges against De Lima, who remains detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.
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<strong>Sources</strong>: 
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<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
"Drug lords disappeared like bubbles", July 25, 2020, <a href="https://manilastandard.net/news/national/329544/-drug-lords-disappeared-like-bubbles-.html" class="news_link" target="_blank" title="Source">Macon Ramos-Araneta</a>, National News, Manila Standard
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(We are unable to grant permission for any kind of reproduction of this article other than social media shares.  Please visit the source listed above for more information.)
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"Convicted high-profile drug lords disappeared like bubbles" - Gatchalian