By AARON RECUENCO
Peter Joemel Advincula, the hooded man in the viral “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video series who identified himself as “Bikoy”, is now singing a different tune.
After tagging the First Family and several politicians that include senator-elect Christopher “Bong” Go in the alleged multi-million illegal drugs payoff, Advincula declared Thursday that all his allegations were all lies and tagged Senator Trillanes and the Liberal Party as behind his script.
Advincula turned the tables against Trillanes, LP and his other supposed handlers in a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City where he sought refuge on Thursday morning after he purportedly escaped from his former handlers.
“My conscience can no longer bear it. This week, I have an interview with an international media. I don’t want to lie anymore,” said Advincula when asked what prompted him to recant his previous statements.
He added that he is already scared of his safety as he was informed about the plan to bring him to a secluded place to hide him from his pursuers.
“I am scared of my safety. I was informed that I would be brought to a secluded place and since my service for them is already done, they might kill me and blame the President,” said Advincula.
“Kawawa naman ang Pangulo, kahit hindi siya ang may kagagawan ay baka siya ang mapagbintangan,” he stressed.
Advincula surrendered to the Northern Police District under Brig. Gen. Rolando Anduyan. He was then taken to Camp Crame where he was allowed to hold a press conference.
He said that his last communication with the chief security officer of Trillanes, a certain Jonel, was on Wednesday when he insisted to meet with the senator.
But his request was allegedly turned down by the security officer of Trillanes and this served as his last straw in deciding to seek the assistance of the Philippine National Police.
PROJECT SODOMA
In the five-part “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video, “Bikoy” tagged Duterte’s son Paolo, Davao city Mayor Sara Duterte’s husband Mans Carpio, Duterte and Honeylett Avancena’s daughter Kitty Duterte, Bong Go and several politicians in Bicol as key players in the illegal drugs trade in the country.
Advincula later surfaced and claimed that he is the hooded man in the video named “Bikoy”, stressing that he did videos to expose the truth for the country and to have a peace of mind.
Advincula said it all started when he met Trillanes through a priest, a certain Father Joebert Alejo. Advincula is a former seminarian who was convicted of estafa.
During that time, he said the camp of Trillanes was aware that he was once considered to pin down Sen. Leila de Lima on drug charges.
“They changed the story and made it appear that it is the current administration which is involved in illegal drugs. They made a good script and this was supported by documents allegedly from the banks,” said Advincula.
But he was quick to clarify that he has no idea about the supposed bank documents that purportedly showed those named in the narcolist video as receiving multi-million peso payout from illegal drugs syndicate.
“I met Senator Trillanes several times to realize Project Sodoma. Project Sodoma is a project aimed at bringing down President Duterte,” said Advincula.
The intention of Trillanes, according to Advincula, is to have Vice President Leni Robredo installed as the President before his term as a senator ends in June 30, 2019.
Once Robredo assumes the presidency, Advincula said that Trillanes wants to be appointed as the Vice President.
“Everything I said in the videos were all lies. Everything was scripted,” said Advincula.
MEETINGS
Advincula said he met a lot of Opposition figures that include staff of Sen. De Lima, Senator Risa Hontiveros herself, Otso Diretso candidates except for Mar Roxas, and Robredo herself.
During those meetings, Advincula claimed that he was promised with money and even position in the government if the plan succeeds and Robredo becomes the President.
“They also promised me of absolute pardon,” said Advincula.
BREAKDOWN
But Advincula said things started to break down when the expectation for mobilization of an angry mob did not push through.
This was further aggravated, he said, when no member of the Opposition entered the Magic 12 in the senatorial elections.
“These past few days after the elections when no Otoso Diretso candidates made it, Senator Trillanes began to lay low. It was only his chief security officer who was talking to me,” said Advincula.
Advincula claimed that he also asked that the camp of Trillanes to post bail for the cases he is facing. But the camp of Trillanes allegedly said that it was pointless to post bail since security forces would still look after him.
It was then, he said, that he started thinking of surrendering to the police.
Advincula is facing large-scale illegal recruitment and estafa. A Baguio City court had earlier issued an arrest warrant against him.
Advincula said he will present all the pieces of evidence he has against his former handlers, including the communication between him and the camp of Senator Trillanes.
PLATFORM
When Advincula held a press conference at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to stress his accusation against the First Family, some government officials and supporters assailed the IBP leadership for dipping its fingers into politics.
The IBP later did not accept Advincula’s request for legal services.
Asked if the PNP is also dipping its fingers into politics when it facilitated the press conference of Advincula, PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said it is not.
“What is political on this (press conference of Advincula at Camp Crame)? He is the one speaking not us, he is asking for custody. We did not teach him what to say,” said Albayalde.
“This is not a political exercise. This is part of freedom of speech of anybody, this is part of democracy. We are a police force, we protect and serve everybody, every Filipino people, not somebody, that is our mandate,” said Albayalde.
CREDIBILITY
Since Advincula has a questionable integrity, Albayalde said it is up for the former to prove that he is not lying this time.
Albayalde earlier accused Advincula of selling information to police intelligence operatives to pin down former President Nonoy Aquino and other members of the Aquino administration on drug charges.
Albayalde said that they will look into all the claims of Advincula against Trillanes and other members of the opposition.
“That is his statement not ours, let him prove his statement, that is part of his statement not ours,” said Albayalde.
“That is his truth according to him not according to me. His statement did not come from us, I am not saying that all that he said here is a gospel truth,” he stressed.
But if there are pieces of evidence against those who allegedly manipulated Advincula to pin down Duterte and his allies on allegations of illegal drugs, Albayalde said that they will not hesitate to file charges.
