Vice President Leni Robredo. (Photo from a livestream video posted on her Facebook account)
MANILA, Philippines — “I will never be part of any destabilization [plot].”
This was what Vice President Leni Robredo asserted Thursday after she and other opposition members were tagged by Peter Joemel Advincula, who surfaced early this month and identified himself as “Bikoy,” as the brains behind the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos, which he said were all fabricated.
READ: Robredo: Can ‘Bikoy’ be admitted into witness protection program?
Bikoy was the faceless narrator – clad in a hooded jacket – in the controversial videos that linked members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s family and aide to the illegal drug trade.
READ: ‘Bikoy’ unmasks himself
READ: ‘Bikoy’ says claims in videos are lies, tags LP, Trillanes
Advincula, who surrendered to the Northern Police District (NPD) Wednesday night, claimed the opposition employed him to do “Project Sodoma,” an alleged plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte and install Robredo as Chief Executive.
READ: Project Sodoma: ‘Bikoy’ says opposition wanted Duterte ousted
“Parati ko naman itong sinasabi, na iyong pagpasok ko sa pulitika, aksidente,” Robredo said. “Parati kong sinasabi na iyong presidency, destiny iyon – hindi siya napaplano, hindi siya napa-plot, kasi kung para sa iyo iyon, ibibigay iyon.”
“Waste of time iyong pagpaplano para pabagsakin iyong administrasyon,” she added.
Suddenly credible
Despite the allegations made by Advincula, Robredo said she is leaving it up to her lawyers whether her camp will take legal action.
“Pero ito kasi, kung naaalala natin, lumabas na siya – Hindi ko nakita iyong lahat na videos, nakita ko lang yata iyong umpisa,” Robredo admitted. “Noong lumabas iyong mga videos na iyon, parang, shinoot-down na kaagad iyong credibility.”
“So ang hindi ko maintindihan, shinoot-down na iyong credibility, pero ngayon na oposisyon naman iyong inaakusahan niya, parang, all of a sudden credible siya ulit,” Robredo pointed out.
“So nakakapagduda. Nakakapagduda na kayo iyong nagsasabi na sinungaling iyong taong ito, hindi mapapagkatiwalaan, tapos ngayon dahil hindi na kayo iyong itinuturo, iyong oposisyon na, all of a sudden kailangan pakinggan,” she also said. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)