Up to court if ”Bikoy” can be witness or respondent: PNP

June 3, 2019

Now that the self-confessed "Bikoy", Peter Joemel Advincula, is back in custody, Philippine National Police ( PNP) General Oscar Albayalde on Monday said it will be up to the Supreme Court if he will be a witness or a respondent in cases based on videos claiming President Rodrigo Duterte and his circle are linked to illegal drugs.

"Everything that 'Bikoy' said will be validated, all the names he mentioned will be part of the investigation, including bikoy himself," Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

Albayalde said even though he retracted his previous statements, Advincula is still not "off the hook".

According to the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Advincula surrendered to their office last Monday, May 27.

With his counsel, he submitted his affidavit, evidence such as cellphone and a cpu unit and requested for police protection. Advincula is under protective custody of CIDG where is being investigated.

"He asked for protection (but) he can also be a respondent here. We are not saying that he is a witness nor a suspect. It's up to the court to decide," said Albayalde.

Though Advincula is under their protective custody, the PNP are validating if there are threats to his life.

"We are still in the process of validating (the) threat on his life," said Albayalde.

PNP described Advincula as a "con artist" who duped people in giving information in exchange for money after he first appeared at Integrated Bar of the Philippines office where he revealed he was ''Bikoy'', who supposedly uploaded the anti-Duterte videos.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame last May 23, Advincula named opposition senators were behind the "Ang Totoong Narcolist" videos.

He said his appearance at IBP is part of their plan but it failed after lawyers did not provide him with assistance.

Advincula said the persons who ordered him to make the video are slowly disappearing after opposition candidates lost in last month's midterm election. Police Major General Amador Corpus, the CIDG director, said they requested to universities mentioned by Advincula where he met the alleged politicians to reporters for a copy of their CCTV.

Advincula said he met with some senators at two private universities in Manila where they discussed their "Project Sodoma", an alleged plan to remove Duterte from his posts.

He claimed the ouster plot started August 27 last year but the opposition camp denied being involved.

“I just want to say that I can speak for the Liberal Party and we don’t have any involvement in this Bikoy issue. I already asked Senator Kiko (Francis Pangilinan) as he is the party president and he told me he don’t know this,” said Vice President Leni Robredo. Ella Dionisio/DMS