Probe wave of killings, not Bikoy’s claims

MANILA, Philippines — Bishop Pablo Virgilio David called on the Philippine National Police to give “time and effort” to investigating the numerous killings in the past weeks in the cities of Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas instead of “giving credence” to the accusations of Peter Advincula.

The Caloocan bishop made the observation on social media following the death on Wednesday of three drug suspects who reportedly resisted arrest in Navotas City.

“A frantic mother approached the photojournalist who was covering the news and sought help in order to see if her son Jay-Ar [Jumola] was indeed among the three killed. The journalist recognized her when she introduced herself as Cristina Jumola, the mother of Anthony Ocdin who was found dead at Baywalk in Tanza, Navotas, back in March of 2017,” David said.

He added that the photojournalist saw that one of the victims fit the description given by Cristina although he could not bring himself to tell her that her son was among those killed.

Cristina became hysterical when her suspicion was later confirmed.

“Here’s what the journalist said to me: ‘I felt so sorry for her and could not find [the] strength to console her. It was so unfair and I could not even understand why she had to go through all of it again,’” David said.

Outspoken critic

The bishop, an outspoken critic of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, said that there was a wave of unsolved killings in the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Quezon City.

The victims were either gunned down by unknown assailants on a motorcycle or killed in a police encounter.

“As bishop of Caloocan, I sincerely wish the PNP could give more time and effort [to] investigating the truth behind these killings than giving credence to the lies now being peddled by a certain Peter Advincula, alias ‘Bikoy,’” David said.

He added that he found it “strange” that the PNP was now taking Advincula’s statements seriously after he claimed the Liberal Party and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV had orchestrated the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video series in a bid to oust the President. When Advincula first surfaced as the hooded man behind the videos, he linked Mr. Duterte’s family members and allies to a drug syndicate.

“When it was people close to the President whom he was … implicating, they immediately called him a liar. Now that he has changed his story and is implicating practically all personalities in the opposition …  ‘his truth’ — according to the PNP director — needs to be investigated,” David said.

David also clarified that a supposed meeting in his Caloocan residence with Advincula, Trillanes and a certain Jonel did not happen.