Malacañang said yesterday that Peter Joemer Advincula should prove his claims that the Liberal Party masterminded the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video series against the administration.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Advincula’s statement is now a matter of law enforcement and would rather wait for the Philippine National Police to finish its investigation on his claims.
“His confessions and revelations, if I may describe that, I think, is the onset of unmasking the truth behind the ‘Ang Totoong Narcolist’ video, which we said before as black propaganda intended to discredit the President and his family, and to besmirch their reputation with the intention of making the people lose trust in this President,” he said.
“As a lawyer, I just don’t believe in what a person says. He has to substantiate, he has submit proof…For one, he has to submit a sworn statement. So we’d rather have the PNP do its job,” he added.
The Palace official also said that it is now up to the PNP or the Department of Justice if they will pursue charges against Advincula.
“That’s for the PNP. If the investigation shows that he has violated the laws then he will be prosecuted as mandated by our law,” Panelo said. “We will leave it to the DoJ. If they are conducting an investigation, we will just wait whatever findings they have,” he added.
Panelo reiterated that President Duterte’s family and close allies will never be involved in the illegal drugs trade. “We have been saying that they are not involved, never involved, and they will never be involved because precisely, the President is the most powerful advocate against the use of illegal drugs,” he said.
The DoJ also called on Advincula yesterday to substantiate his allegations against the opposition.
“Considering the gravity of Mr. Advincula’s allegations then and now, any and all questions regarding the veracity and the truthfulness of those allegations are best threshed out and addressed in a thorough investigation conducted by experts, following a rigorous legal process towards the ascertainment of the truth,” said DoJ spokesman Undersecretary Markk Perete in a statement.
Meanwhile, Bicolano businessman Elizaldy Co, one of the various personalities named in the viral videos, yesterday filed a defamation case and a P1-billion damage suit against Advincula and giant social media platforms Facebook and YouTube.
Advincula accused Co as a member of the Quadrangle Group drug syndicate in the video series.
“I and other officers of the Complainant Corporation received several phone calls and or messages from our business partners, suppliers, creditors, clients, and some concerned individuals, inquiring about the veracity of the statements in the said video,” Co said in his complaint-affidavit.
“Evidently, my good name, business reputation and social standing, as well as the good name, business reputation, and good will of Misibis Bay Resort, as well as its owner, Complainant Corporation, Misibis Resort and Hotel Management Inc., which were painstakingly built through the years, were gravely tarnished, irreparably tainted, and or unduly smeared as a result of the publication of the subject video,” he lamented.
“By his own admission, Bikoy said everything in the viral video series that implicates me, Misibis Bay Resort, and other personalities, are pure fabrication. While my family and I are happy that this episode is finally over, our fight to clear our tarnished name and reputation continues,” Co said. (Argyll Geducos and Jeffrey Damicog)