(Eagle News) – The Integrated Bar of the Philippines has rejected the request for legal assistance of Peter Joemel Advincula, the man claiming to be the “Bikoy” in the video series which alleged that some members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s family had drug links.
It said that the IBP’s National Center for Legal Aid (NCLA) had determined that Advincula had not met the standards it had set for legal assistance.
“Mr. Advincula came to the IBP to request free legal assistance and representation in the filing of charges against certain individuals, including candidates for elective positions, because of their alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade,” the IBP said.
“The NCLA has determined that Mr. Advincula may not be provided free legal assistance based on the standards provided for in the NCLA Manual of Operations in approving such requests,” it said.
The IBP, while not providing details, said that the “communications and documents submitted during consultation” by Advincula “shall remain privileged and confidential.”
The IBP Board of Governors also distanced itself from Advincula who had used the IBP’s national headquarters as the venue for his press conference on Monday, May 6.
The IBP said it did not give Advincula permission to do so.
“In the pursuit of its mandate to provide access to justice to the poor and the marginalized, the IBP cannot be seen to be siding with or going against any candidate or political party,” it said.
-IBP-Davao chapter slams IBP national headquarters for Bikoy presscon-
Earlier, the IBP’s Davao chapter had criticized IBP’s national headquarters for allowing “itself to be used as the staging area for Bikoy’s show.”
“Certainly, the drama reeks of political agenda, and the sole decision of the present leadership of the IBP National,” a statement from the IBP’s Davao chapter said.
“The IBP Davao City Chapter, is neither privy to Bikoy’s show nor supportive of the same. It does not reflect the sentiment of the membership of the Chapter as an organization,” it said.
The IBP Davao stressed that IBP should remain a “non-partisan organization not established to cater to political interests.”
“The fundamental purposes of the Integrated bar shall be to elevate the standards of the legal profession, improve the administration of justice, and enable the Bar to discharge its public responsibility more effectively. Certainly, the decision of the present leadership of the IBP National is not in accord with the said purposes. For one, Bikoy’s storyline is polluted and it’s source comes from the very mouth of an alleged suborner himself,” its statement read.
“The IBP Davao City Chapter does not and will not tolerate any statements from the present leadership of the IBP National that will result in politicizing the organization,” it added.
