MANILA, Philippines -The self-confessed narrator of the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video series, Peter Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy” on Tuesday said the perjury complaint filed against him was but a form of harassment.
“…The present complaint is a vain attempt to mislead, or confuse the authorities in the investigation on the case referred to the DOJ by the CIDG-PNP, and that to charge the undersigned with violation of Articles 183 and 184 is clearly a nuisance or harassment suit,” he said in his counter-affidavit.
Lawyers Chel Diokno, Erin Tanada and Theodore Te from the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) accused Advincula of perjury.
The three are among the more than 30 respondents including Vice President Leni Robredo facing sedition complaint for the alleged involvement in “Project Sodoma,” a supposed plot to oust President Duterte.
Advincula maintained that he issued factual statements that were used as a basis by the Philippine National Police- Criminal Investigation Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in filing the sedition raps before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
“Contrary to the allegations of the complaint, all factual matters which the undersigned stated in his affidavit-complaint constituting the sedition, inciting to sedition, cyber, liber, and harboring criminal/ obstruction of justice are duly supported by evidence, and equipped with necessary details connecting the actions and participations of the various individuals in conceptualizing the ‘Ang Totoong Narcolist’ (videos),” said Advincula.
Advincula is the lone witness, as well as one of the 35 respondents, in the sedition complaint filed by the PNP-CIDG.
Advincula and PNP-CIDG Lieutenant Colonel Arnold Thomas Ibay were named respondents in the perjury complaint.
“The veracity of the truthfulness of my testimony and statements will rest within the jurisdiction of the courts for determination once a complaint for sedition or inciting to sedition is filed in court. Thus, this present complaint will compromise the resolution of the aforesaid case,” Advincula said.
Last July 18, the PNP-CIDG filed a sedition case against Vice President Leni Robredo and 34 others, including the three FLAG lawyers, before the DOJ. The complaint was based on the testimony of Advincula who claimed that the respondents allegedly conspired to implicate family members and friends of President Duterte in the illegal drugs trade and remove him from Malacanang.
Advincula alleged that he met with Diokno and Tañada at the Ateneo de Manila University last March 4, and met Te reportedly on May 2 and discussed his press conference at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)./ac