Filing of perjury case vs ‘Bikoy’ premature – lawyer

BY JEFFREY DAMICOG

It is still premature to charge Peter Joemel “Bikoy’ Advincula with perjury over alleged false testimonies he provided concerning the controversial “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video series, his lawyer said.

Lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon explained that the sedition case against former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and his co-accused including Advincula over their involvement in the video series is still pending before the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) Branch 38.

“Perjury is too early to tell as the evidences in the main case would serve as a prejudicial question as to the truth and veracity of the allegations which are the cause of action in the perjury case,” Gadon said in a statement concerning last week’s filing of a perjury case against Advincula before the Manila MeTC.

The “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video series which became viral online two years ago featured a hooded Bikoy alleging that family members of President Duterte and other personalities were involved in illegal drugs.

Advincula, who revealed himself to be Bikoy, claimed the allegations in the videos were concocted and was part of “Project Sodoma” which was aimed at discrediting the Duterte administration.

He also identified 35 persons involved in “Project Sodoma” including Trillanes, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo, and Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) members, namely, its chairman Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, Quezon Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada, and former Supreme Court (SC) spokesperson Theodore Te.

Advincula’s testimony was used by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in filing a sedition complaint before the Department of Justice (DoJ) on July 18, 2019.