(Eagle News) – The Senate has set on Friday morning, May 10, its investigation of the allegations made by Peter Joemel Advincula who claims to be the “Bikoy” in the series of videos that had made allegations linking members of the family of President Rodrigo Duterte to the illegal drug trade.
Senator Panfilo Lacson, the chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said the hearing is initially set on Friday, at 9:30 a.m., but this is dependent still if Advincula would be able to present a sworn statement and evidence to support his accusations.
“Like it or not, Bikoy has become a political, if not an election issue. The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs can schedule a hearing this week on one condition: Bikoy must personally present a sworn statement and his evidence to support his accusations,” he said.
An early hearing would provide the public a chance to see for themselves if the claims made by “Bikoy” have basis, Lacson said.
He said that “Bikoy” still has to provide the necessary documents to support his claims.
“It will push through once Bikoy confirms his attendance with a sworn statement ready, for the meantime, we are doing some background investigation and record check on him,” Lacson said.
Advincula had claimed to be “Bikoy” when he appeared at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines where he read a statement before the media on Monday, May 6.
But it appeared that the IBP had not yet vetted him. He was not accepted to be a client by IBP. His press conference at the IBP’s national headquarters was also held without the IBP’s permission, according to the IBP’s incoming president, Domingo Cayosa.
Officials of the IBP were also invited to the hearing.
-Bill against lying witnesses-
Lacson said that he had already filed a Senate bill to protect people against lying witnesses, and this could be further tested on Friday, if the hearing pushes through with Advincula in attendance.
“I filed Senate Bill 253 to protect innocent people from being wrongly jailed or having their reputations suffer because of lying witnesses,” he said.
Under his bill, which is pending before the Justice and Human Rights Committee, any person who shall give false testimony in any criminal case shall suffer the same penalty for the crime the defendant is being accused of.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, for his part, said that he would make sure that the Senate would also proceed to investigate Advincula’s allegations if he would be able to convince the senators of his documentary evidence if any to back his claims.
“Iimbestigahan namin kung merong value yung dapat imbestigahan. Kung may document na sinasabing tama o may mag-prove,” Sotto told reporters.
“Kasi kung hindi, hindi naman puedeng ang senado ang puedeng basta basta na lang pumapatol dahil lumabas sa facebook yung si ganito or si ganyan,” he said.
Senator Sonny Angara said that Advincula could even be charged with slander if it would be proven that he made the allegations without evidence.
(with a report from Meanne Corvera, Eagle News Service)