NBI arrests owner of website claiming Duterte, family linked to illegal drugs

May 2, 2019

An owner of a website believed responsible for circulating videos allegedly saying President Rodrigo Duterte, his family and associates are involved in illegal drug trade was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation ( NBI).

In a press conference Thursday, Justice Secretary Medardo Guevarra said they will be filing inciting to sedition and other criminal charges on the suspect, Rodel Jayme, who allegedly created metrobalita.com that published link of the videos on the website.

Guevarra and NBI officials said follow-up investigation is being done to find other persons involved in producing and spreading the videos.

The Department of Justice-Office of the Cybercrime (OCC) and the NBI-Anti-Cybercrime Division (NBI-ACD) are trying to find out the producers and uploader of the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video featuring a certain “Bikoy”, who claimed that Duterte, some family members and associates are involved in illegal drugs.

The probe revealed that a recently created You Tube channel with the user name “Ang Totoong Narcolist” posted several videos by “Bikoy”.

The NBI sought an arrest warrant before the Regional Trial Court of Makati City to conduct a search, seizure and examination of computer data against Jayme for cyberlibel which was granted by the court on April 29. NBI agents went to to Jayme’s home in Paranaque City to implement the warrant.

Guevarra said the suspect gave up his desktop, mobile phone, and other materials subject of the search warrant.

Guevarra said Jayme’s arrest as “incidental to the service of a search warrant."

The DOJ said their investigation on Jayme is to find out if there is basis to investigate his allegations or whether it is related to an alleged outer plot against Duterte.

“Malacanang has nothing to do with this. This initiative taken by the DOJ in the light of serious allegation by an unknown person. Before we consider investigating the allegations of this persons we need to find this person and know his background to determine whether or not pursue Biko’s allegation,” Guevarra said.

“It appears he started all of this by creating the website, subsequent uploading of the videos. So its logical for the NBI to start with him,” he stressed. DMS