MANILA – Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chairman Panfilo Lacson cancelled the inquiry into self-confessed Peter Joemel “Bikoy” Advincula’s allegations against President Rodrigo Duterte, his family and friends over the illegal drug trade.
This was after Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Wednesday morning revealed that Advincula tried to make the same allegations against former president Benigno Aquino III and several allies way back in 2016.
“SP 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 hearing on Friday. Enough of this nonsense,” Lacson said in a social media post.
In a press conference, Sotto said he secured a sworn statement from Advincula in December 2016 identifying Aquino, former Interior secretary Mar Roxas and Justice secretary Leila De Lima were “patrons” of the “Quadrangle” drug syndicate.
Advincula claimed in his statement that syndicate members used alphanumeric “identity codes” for monthly payoffs amounting to 30 million yuan (P230 million), which was supposedly coursed through a local bank.
Sotto, however, deemed Advincula’s statement as fraudulent after the bank in Makati denied the codes for its accounts follow the same format as that given by Advincula.
“Doon sa sinumpaang salaysay niya (Advincula) nung 2016, meron siyang tinatawag na mga patron. Ito ‘yung mga bigshot. Ito ‘yung nasa ibabaw ng drug syndicate according to his description in his affidavit,” Sotto said.
“Dun sa mga patron na sinasabi, sa listahan, may mga code-code pa siya, former President Benigno Aquino, former DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, former DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima,” he added. “I did due diligence kaya noong 2016, hindi ko pinatulan itong alegasyon ni Advincula. Medyo iniba niya lang nang kaunti ang script, iniba niya lang ang personalidad, ito naman ngayon.”
Lacson has earlier sent an invitation on Advincula to appear before the Senate to examine his allegations.
Advincula, in an interview with Rappler, said he will only go to Senate inquiry after election and if the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) gives him a legal aid.
“He cannot dictate on the Senate committee,” Lacson said. “Truth is never time-bound. If he can’t be spontaneous, the only logical conclusion is he has not yet weaved his lies.”
After examining his allegations, the IBP rejected Advincula’s request for legal assistance.
IBP outgoing president Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo said in a statement that the legal assistance request was declined following the evaluation made by the IBP’s National Center for Legal Aid (NCLA) on Advincula’s application.
“His application was duly processed just like any other request received by NCLA,” Fajardo said. “The decision (to decline Advincula’s request) was reached after a thorough evaluation on his application conducted by the NCLA.”
Fajardo added that the IBP’s NCLA have determined that Advincula cannot be accorded with its legal assistance based on the standards provided for in the NCLA Manual of Operations in approving such request.
The communications and documents submitted by Advincula when he suddenly barged into IBP’s office on Monday afternoon shall remain privileged and confidential with the IBP.
“In the pursuit of its mandate to provide access to justice to the poor and the marginalized, the IBP cannot be seen to be siding with or going against any candidate or political party,” Fajardo said.
Advincula on Monday introduced himself as Bikoy, who claimed drug money was funneled into the bank accounts of Duterte’s son former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte, his son-in-law Atty. Manases Carpio, and former aide Christopher Go.
Advincula, who was previously convicted for estafa and was slapped with charges of large scale estafa and illegal recruitment, also claimed that he personally scanned the dragon tattoos on Go and Paolo’s back to determine their “tara” from Hong Kong-based syndicate./PN
