Man who claims behind anti-Duterte videos surrenders to PNP
The man who claims he is behind the videos alleging that President Rodrigo Duterte, his family and associates are linked to illegal surrendered to police Wednesday evening, according to Philippine National Police General Oscar Albayalde.
In a press briefing Thursday, Albayalde said Peter Joemel Advincula, who says he is ''Bikoy'' heeded his “call to surrender and face the string of criminal cases filed against him by persons he allegedly defrauded in Bicol and Baguio.”
“Advincula has been sending surrender feelers to the PNP while the pressure of manhunt operation for his arrest became more intense after the Integrated Bar of the Philippines denied his request for assistance,” he added.
Albayalde said may be Advincula realized it’s better for him to surrender than keep on hiding from the authorities.
During the briefing, Advincula told reporters he surrendered to the Northern Police District after he felt neglected by the people who hired him.
Advincula named some opposition senators who he said allegedly hired him to do the videos.
“What I said based on the script is not true. Yes I’m an ex-convict…. But my conscience cannot take it anymore,” he said.
He revealed that it took them nine months to plan their “Project Sodoma” which includes the five videos posted online intended to malign the administration and its candidates for the 2019 midterm elections.
Advincula said he is afraid for his life after the opposition candidates lost in this month's election.
“It’s all not true. It was orchestrated by the Liberal Party under the handling of (Senator Sonny) Trillanes,” he said.
“Before I can easily talk to him (Trillanes) but after the elections, there is already a SOP (standard operating procedure)… before he will just call me,"
Advincula revealed that their real goal is to unseat Duterte.
“They heard my supposed involvement last 2016 on the drug case of De Lima. They just changed the script and add more details to make it realistic. The documents according to Trillanes came from AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council),” he said.
“Once they unseat President (Rodrigo) Duterte, the one who will replace him duly constitutionalized, the Vice President of the Philippines Her Excellency, Leni Robredo will appoint from Senate or from the House a certain Congressman or Senator to be the vice president. And Sonny will be the line to become the vice president,” Advincula said.
Advincula said the group offered him P500,000, absolute pardon from all his cases and a position in the government once Vice President Leni Robredo became the president.
When he tried to ask the group to post bail for him, Advincula said Trillanes told him to just keep on hiding.
Aside from Trillanes, he also mentioned Senator Risa Hontiveros, a staff of Senator Leila De Lima, ex-police officer Eduardo Acierto; and other businessmen as behind the plot.
Advincula challenged Trillanes to face him for everyone to know the truth.
He said he met Trillanes through a priest whom he sought for help in solving the estafa cases he is facing in Albay.
Advincula said he was staying in a condominium unit owned by one of Otso Diretso’s biggest supporter and their meetings were usually held in two of the biggest private universities in the Philippines.
“I was able to meet seven out of the eight candidates,” he said while meeting Robredo only once.
Asked if he has evidence to support his allegation, Advincula said he will turn over emails and exchange of text messages, even receipt of gadgets he is using to the police.
He added that he got information the security aide of Trillanes is planning to move him to a secluded place.
“It’s better that I surrender to the police,” he said.
On his first appearance at IBP office, Advincula said it is also part of their plan coming from the decision of their legal advisers.
“Last May 5, we had a meeting with the Project Sodoma team together with Sonny (Trillanes), his chief security, some members of Magdalo group and different religious organization also our communication. The plan is we will file case at Ombudsman but our lawyers from FLAG headed by Atty. Chel Diokno, Theodore Te, former SC (Supreme Court spokesperson), a certain Attorney Chito to get the service of Attorney Abdiel Fajardo of IBP,” he said.
“It was Atty. Fajardo’s suggestion that we go to them first and file a sworn statement since it’s up to them to determine if I will be given free legal assistance,” he added.
He went to IBP last May 6 and made a statement but the organization refused to give him assistance.
Advincula’s younger brother sought the assistance of their relatives working at the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Albay.
Advincula apologized to all the persons who became involved in the video.
“I’m apologizing to the family of President Rodrigo Duterte… if I can only meet the president to personally apologize to him,” he said.
Meanwhile, Albayalde said Advincula requested them to have a press conference after he was asked if allowing the suspect to talk in their platform mean they are politicking.
“What’s political on this? It’s part of freedom of speech of everybody,” he said.
Albayalde said they have not heard all the revelations made by Advincula as he still has to undergo booking.
He said the case of Advincula is bailable, which is amounting to around P6,000, and he may leave after posting bail.
Albayalde added that whether he surrender or not, it is the PNP’s job to arrest him because of his pending warrant of arrest.
“The burden of truth is on him. It’s on the people whether they want to believe him or not. He surrendered freely,” Albayalde said.
“As of this time, he is under our custody it will depend once he post bail and request for security, we are mandated to assist him,” he said.
The family of Advincula is asking the government to provide them security after his revelation. Ella Dionisio/DMS
