MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Pangilinan on Thursday vehemently denied what he calls were fabrications made by the administration against the Liberal Party (LP).
“Kahit ano sasabihin ng testigo laban sa mga nakaupo sa takot na masaktan. Wala kaming ugnayan sa video at kay Bikoy,” Pangilinan, LP president, said in a statement.
“Kasinungalingan lahat ang mga paratang na yan. Gawa-gawa lang ng Administrasyon,” he added.
The senator has already resigned as LP president after all eight senatorial bets of Otso Diretso lost in the May 13 elections. His resignation, however, was rejected by party chair, Vice President Leni Robredo.
Pangilinan issued the statement after Peter Joemel Advincula, who claimed to be “Bikoy” in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos, tagged the LP and other opposition members as being behind the video series.
In the videos, “Bikoy” linked President Rodrigo Duterte’s relatives and allies to the illegal drug trade.
Advincula however recanted, and pointed to the LP and opposition members as those being behind him and the videos. He said the opposition was also planning to oust Duterte and install Robredo as the new president.
Pangilinan noted that the LP has always been linked into the alleged Duterte ouster plots.
“Kahit ang pagpatay kay Rizal aaminin ng testigo na yan sa takot sa maaring gawin ng administrasyon sa kanya o sa mga mahal niya sa buhay,” he said.
“Uulitin ko. Walang kinalaman ang LP sa Bikoy video. Kasinungalingan at gawa-gawa lamang ang mga paratang na ito.”
Pangilinan suspects that the administration’s lies were just another diversionary tactic.
“Ano na naman kaya ang baho na tinatago ng Administrasyon kaya inilabas ang mga kasinungalingang ito?” he asked. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)