A Senate panel has called off a hearing on claims that President Rodrigo Duterte’s family had received drug syndicate payoffs, noting that accuser Peter Joemel Advincula also attempted to link former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd and other politicians to illegal drugs.
Advincula, who says he is the “Bikoy” in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos, sought the legal assistance of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), but the group turned down his request.
Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd yesterday said Advincula had tried to link Aquino, Senator Leila de Lima and some politicians in Bicol to the illegal drug trade.
He said Advincula, who was then jailed at the National Bilibid Prison (NBP), sent him a sworn affidavit in December 2016 claiming that he saw De Lima — who was then the Justice secretary — meeting with drug syndicate members at Misibis Bay, a resort owned by businessman Elizalde Co He also claimed that in April 2011, De Lima had brought Aquino, along with several Cabinet members and then-Albay Gov.
Joey Salceda, to a syndicate house where the president received two envelopes containing money.
Given Advincula’s new line — that President Duterte’s eldest son, former Davao City vice mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte; son-in-law Manases “Mans” Carpio, husband of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte; and former top aide and now Senate candidate Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, among others, had received payoffs — Sotto said “the person is not credible at all.” Senator Panfilo Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, on the other hand, said he cancelled a Friday public hearing given questions over Advincula’s credibility.
“SP (Senate President) Sotto said it all. We are now recalling the letter of invitation sent to Advincula yesterday. Notices will be sent out for the cancellation of the committee on Friday.
Enough of this nonsense,” Lacson said on Twitter.
Sotto, meanwhile, urged Advincula to “come out clean” regarding those who might have told him to make the accusations.
Advincula surfaced on Monday — following last week’s arrest of Rodel Jayme, said to have been responsible for uploading the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos — and claimed that he was ready to testify against the Dutertes.
He sought assistance from the IBP, but the national organisation of lawyers yesterday said it could not agree to his request for free legal assistance based on standards set by its National Center for Legal Aid.
“In the pursuit of its mandate to provide access to justice to the poor and the marginalised, the IBP cannot be seen to be siding with or going against any candidate or political party,” IBP President Abdiel Fajardo said in a statement.
It noted that, “Communications and documents submitted during consultation shall remain privileged and confidential.”