The Senate will investigate claims made by Peter Joemal Advincula, supposedly the “Bikoy” in a series of videos accusing members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s family of ties to the illegal drugs trade.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, chairman of the Senate public order and dangerous drugs committee, set a hearing for Friday, but added that Advincula should first submit a sworn affidavit and supporting documents.
“The committee is sending out today a formal invitation letter to Advincula thru the IBP (Integrated Bar of the Philippines) since it was the last known link to him, and they may have knowledge of how to relay the invitation to him,” Lacson said in a text message.
“The hearing is set on Friday at 9:30 am. It will push through once Bikoy confirms his attendance with a sworn statement ready,” he added.
In a radio interview, Lacson said he already asked the committee’s members — Senators Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan 2nd, Mary Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, Antonio Trillanes 4th, and detained Leila de Lima — and ex-officio members Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migs” Zubiri and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon to attend.
“In the meantime, we are doing some background investigation and record check on him to check whether there is a need not to push through with the hearing,” he added.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto 3rd also called for further checks, reiterating that an individual surnamed Advincula had approached him a few years ago and offered to provide drug payoff evidence against then-President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd and then-Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay. “There was a particular person — you can verify this, I think I still have some of the records.There was a person that approached me, sent word to me when he was still in the National Bilibid Prison,” Sotto said.
“After we investigated and validated the information and documents passed on to us, we decided not to further entertain him. Nothing materialised because the bank accounts and the checks given were disowned by the concerned bank overseas,” he added.
Opposition senators want the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to reopen an investigation into the illegal drugs trade following the release of the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos, where Bikoy claimed that drug money was deposited in bank accounts owned by Duterte’s son, former Davao vice mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte; son-in-law Manases “Mans” Carpio; and former top aide Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, among others. Malacanang, however, dismissed the allegations as “black propaganda” and Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo cast doubt on Advincula’s credibility, given his criminal past.
“Information about the criminal background of Advincula is starting to come out. It appears that he has been incarcerated in 2012 for conviction of illegal recruitment and large scale estafa, as well as for theft,” Panelo said in a statement.
“Presently, there are news that he is facing multiple criminal cases like estafa, among others.
These crimes involve moral turpitude that goes to the very integrity and credibility of Advincula or Bikoy,” he added.
Panelo noted that others identified in the videos as being involved in the narcotics trade had denied the allegations.
“Categorical denials… such as those made by the Rural Bank of Guinobatan Inc and the Misibis Bay Resort were made. Strangely enough, such denials did not catch much attention from the media,” he said.
“There is a dictum in law, which says: ‘You lie in one, you lie in all.’ This legal principle applies to Advincula or Bikoy.”
Panelo also warned the IBP, whose assistance has been sought by Advincula, from being fooled. “Certain officers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines may have unwittingly allowed their facilities to be used by a fraudster to perpetuate lies and foist accusations against PRRD (Duterte), his children and those closely identified with him of the commission of illegal trade of prohibited drugs,” he said.
“The PNP (Philippine National Police) is still unearthing information that will further bolster the fraud perpetrated by this unscrupulous person,” Panelo continued, promising a “bombshell” would be subsequently released.
“There are strong indications that Advincula is not alone but is just being used by a personality in conspiracy with others bent on destroying the reputation of the Duterte family and tarnishing the image of the President,” he claimed.
PNP chief Oscar Albayalade also questioned Advincula’s claims and said these still had to be validated. He confirmed, however, that Advincula had previously been convicted of large-scale estafa and served six years of a 10-year jail term, set free due to “good behaviour.”
Another estafa case against Advincula is pending at the National Bureau of Investigation, the PNP chief added. Given Advincula’s claims that his life was in danger, Albayalde said the PNP was open to providing security.