There is no ouster plot to overthrow the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and unseat him, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said on Tuesday even as he claimed that several transactions were made in foreign banks involving billions of proceeds from the illegal drug trade.
In a news conference, Trillanes presented pieces of evidence to debunk the claims of Peter Joemel Advincula, who referred to himself as “Bikoy,
Advincula was the hooded man in the “Ang Totoong Narco List” video series, who tagged President’s family members and allies as behind the country’s illegal drug trade.
Trillanes presented Advicula’s alleged text messages to clergies, whom Bikoy supposedly approached for sanctuary last year. He also furnished the media screenshots of text messages supposedly between Advincula and a priest some time in August 2018.
In one of the text messages, Advincula supposedly said: “Padre kunan mo na aku ng video para may marecord ka ng testimonya ko! Yung sa maghintay kaya ko yun padre! Pero yung sisihin palagi aku yun ang d ko kaya padre! Planu ko ng tapusin ang buhay! Ang sakit sakit na ng ulo ko!”
Another text message also showed Advincula asking for money for house rental and transportation cost.
Trillanes said the text messages indicated that there was no ouster plot and that it was Advincula, who volunteered his information to the priests
“Wala kang makikitang ouster plot dyan. Wala kang makikitang sinusubuan sya ng script nang kung sino man,” he added.
From the series of texts Bikoy allegedly sent to a priest, Trillanes pointed out that the said messages contradict the former’s earlier statement that he was promised money in exchange for being featured in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos.
He also played a video of Bikoy showing him making allegations against certain people. He pointed out the video also showed that Advincula’s statements were not scripted.
“Did you see there was script? Did you see somebody dictating on him? It’s him. Those allegations came from him with feelings,” said Trillanes.
He said that the point of that video is that everything came from him—all the allegations.
Trillanes said the video belied the statement of Bikoy that there was a script to malign the Duterte administration.
“So, I’m showing it now that there were all lies, no ouster plot and everything Bikoy released in the video all came from him,” said Trillanes.
In a news conference qt the PNP, Bikoy recanted his claims about the involvement of the President’s and pointed to Trillanes and other members of the opposition of orchestrating the allegations.
Because if this, Trillanes said he will file charges against Bikoy. He also said Bikoy is liable for perjury for executing three different affidavits.
Bikoy’s first affidavit was supposedly executed in 2016 when he also accused former President Benigno C. Aquino III and some his allies of being involved in illegal drugs. He also issued a signed sworn statement when he first surfaced last May 6 and claimed to be “Bikoy” in the videos.
His third affidavit, Bikoy said, was the one being presented by the Philippine National Police after Advincula recanted his allegations.
“And that makes him liable for perjury because these notarized affidavits are legally binding and this Bikoy character will not stand in court. It’s very easy to debunk his claims,” Trillanes said.
Meanwhile, Trillanes said foreign financial institutions are now investigating the bank transactions from illegal drugs stashed in banks abroad. Hs said this involved billions of pesos under different names.
So far, one transaction reached P8 billion, the biggest so far, among the bank transactions from the illegal drugs.
Trillanes said the validation started after bank documents were given to them sometime last February.