Panelo slams ‘Bikoy’ anew, calls his background ‘dubious’

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo. (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Sunday belied the renewed claim of Peter Joemel Advincula, who recently introduced himself as the Bikoy in the “The Real Narcolist” videos, that that President Rodrigo Duterte’s relatives and allies were involved in illegal drug activities.

Last May 6, Advincula had a press conference at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) revealing that he was the hooded man in the videos.

He then released a new video insisting on the involvement of the President’s relatives and allies in illegal drugs.

“Inuulit ko po na involved si Pangulong Duterte at kaniyang pamilya at malalapit na kaibigan at pinagkakatiwalaan sa droga,” Advincula said in the video. “Ang kanyang war on drugs ay peke. Sinusumpa ko sa Diyos at sa sambayanan na totoo lahat ng aking ibinunyag. Walang kinalaman ang sinuman na pinaparatangan nila na may koneksyon ako.”

[I’m saying it again — that President Duterte, his family, and his close and trusted friends are involved in drugs. His war on drugs is fake. I swear to God and to the people that all that I revealed is true. I have no connection with those whom they are linking to me.]

Panelo insisted, however, that Advincula’s background was “dubious,” making his claims discreditable.

“Suffice it to state that Advincula or Bikoy has been totally discredited as regards his allegations, his character and dubious background,” Panelo said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.

He added that Advincula was only trying to tarnish the Duterte administration, similar to his 2016 attempt to accuse members of the administration of President Benigno Aquino III of being involved in illegal drug activities.

Panelo was referring to the statement of Senate President Vicente Sotto III that Advincula was the same man who approached him in 2016 and linked Aquino to the illegal drug trade, along with some of his Cabinet members then — namely, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

“His allegations is a rehash of his scam plan against certain personalities of the previous administration as revealed by Senate President Vicente Sotto who saw through his fraud as validated by the Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde,” Panelo said.

Panelo repeated his claim that Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, as well as the Liberal Party, were behind “The Real Narcolist” videos, which were released to discredit the President.

“[President Duterte] has already pointed to the military renegade and outgoing Sen. Antonio Trillanes in collusion with the Liberal Party as behind the ‘Ang Totoong Narcolist’ black propaganda for the purpose of discrediting the Duterte presidency and boosting the chances of the opposition senatorial candidates,” Panelo said.

“Like all lies, the sinister video has been stripped of its falsity and laid bare to the public its odiousness,” he added.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)