By Charmaine A. Tadalan, Reporter
THE SENATE Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on Tuesday asked “Bikoy,” the man responsible for the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” (The Real Narcolist) videos, to submit a sworn statement and supporting evidence to push through its probe within the week.
“The hearing is set on Friday at 9:30. It will push through once Bikoy confirms his attendance with a sworn statement ready. In the meantime, we are doing some background investigation and record check on him,” Panel chair Senator Panfilo M. Lacson told reporters over phone message, Tuesday.
This followed the claims of Peter Joemel Advincula, who with the assistance of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, claimed to be the person behind the netizen “Bikoy.”
Mr. Lacson said the committee sent the invitation through the IBP, the country’s mandatory bar organization.
The Senator said the committee will also question IBP regarding its involvement after it allowed Mr. Advincula to use its premises for his pronouncements.
“Napansin ko lang bakit pinabayaan gamitin ang facility at binigyan ng forum para ma-air ang kanyang accusation nang sa pag-amin naman nila, wala naman daw silang ginagawa pang evaluation,” Mr. Lacson said in an interview with DzMM, Tuesday. (I just thought why did they permit the use of their facility and even gave him a forum to air his accusation even as they admitted they haven’t yet made any evaluation [on him]).
“So iyan ang napansin ko baka sila mapagbintangan na ginagamit ang kanilang [facility], alam mo ang kredibilidad ng IBP mataas. Pagkatapos mapupulaan sila [na] nagpapagamit sila sa political partisanship.” (That’s what I noticed which they might be blamed for. The IBP has a high credibility, which might suffer due to political partisanship).
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III in a separate message said the IBP should look into the evidence presented by Mr. Advincula. “Nilapitan sila eh (he came to their office) but they should vet all details he is saying before they swallow hook line and sinker.”
Detained Senator Leila M. de Lima asked the government to hear out the Mr. Advincula’s expose against the President before dismissing it as a scam.
“From the time when the first of the ‘Bikoy’ videos came out until now that he finally revealed himself, this administration has shown that it is more interested in ‘shooting the messenger’ than letting due process takes its course until the truth comes out,” she said in a statement.
