‘Bikoy’ back in PNP custody

MANILA, Philippines – Peter Joemel Advincula, the man claiming to be “Bikoy” in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos, is back under protective custody of the Philippine National Police, a police official said on Monday.

PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director Maj. Gen. Amador Corpus said Advincula returned to the police unit on May 27 with a lawyer.

“Last May 27, bumalik na si Bikoy. He is now under protective custody. He voluntarily surrendered himself and requested for protective custody. He is now under investigation,” Corpus said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

Corpus said the PNP is likewise validating threats on Advincula’s life.

So far, he has already submitted his computer and cellphone which supposedly contained his conversations with other personalities who helped him produce the narcolist videos, PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde bared.

The PNP-CIDG is currently documenting all pieces of evidence Advincula had surrendered for investigation, said Corpus.

He added they have already sent requests to secure copies of footage from closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) in universities where Advincula claimed to have met his supposed cohorts in the video.

Advincula earlier surfaced in a press briefing at the PNP headquarters and claimed that the opposition Liberal Party and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV were behind the videos which linked family members and allies of President Duterte to the illegal drug trade.

Prior to that, he also appeared at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines office and admitted he was the “Bikoy” who narrated the video detailing the supposed involvement of Duterte’s allies to illegal drugs.

After his Camp Crame press conference late last month, he was hospitalized for chest pains and hypertension, but was later discharged and posted bail.

READ: ‘Bikoy’ left PNP without promised evidence, says Albayalde

Albayalde said Advincula will still be part of the investigation on the narcolist videos, as well as those he claimed to be behind its production.

“In fact, even Bikoy is part of the investigation. He can also be a respondent here. Hindi namin sinasabi na siya ay witness or isang suspect. It’s up to the court to decide,” Albayalde said. (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)