Solicitor General Jose Calida on Thursday demanded the resignation of Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Abdiel Dan Elijah Fajardo for giving a platform to a man who claimed to be behind a series of online videos accusing the President’s family and allies of accepting drug money.
In a statement Thursday night, Calida accused Fajardo of using his position to advance his personal political agenda, after Peter Joemel Advincula, who claimed to be “Bikoy” in the “Ang Totoong Narco List” videos, held a press conference at the IBP main office to air his accusations against the President’s family.
Calida said he supports the position of the Davao City chapter of the IBP, which criticized Fajardo for allowing the office of the IBP to be used as a “staging area” for Advincula’s press conference, even though the organization is supposed to be non-partisan.
“Fajardo has turned the IBP into a highly politicized organization, when it should advance the rule of law and stand for truth and justice. He is a disgrace to the IBP. He does not to speak for all the members of the IBP. But his actions reflect badly on the organization and consequently, the legal profession,” Calida said.
The IBP president said Advincula went to the IBP to seek for legal assistance, but that they turned him down after evaluating his request.
The IBP admitted that the case of Advincula is political in nature because the individuals he accused of involvement in the illegal drug trade are candidates in the upcoming elections.
However, the Solicitor General questioned why they gave the former convict a platform to peddle his false stories in the first place.
“The action of the president of the IBP betrays his intention to make the organization a venue for his political aspirations,” Calida said.
Calida said this was not the first time that Fajardo has sought to meddle in politics as the outgoing IBP head earlier urged the Supreme Court to reverse its quo warranto decision in Republic v. Sereno.
“He should be reminded of the purpose of the IBP, which is to promote the best interest of lawyers and the courts. The IBP should be in the forefront in advocating obedience to the law,” Calida said.
Former IBP national president Vicente Joyas believed that the current leadership of the organization was aware and consented to Advincula’s plan to surface at the IBP headquarters.
“It was not sudden as they claimed because there already were media people when Advincula arrived. It was obviously arranged,” he said, in an interview.
Earlier this year, the IBP also hosted two groups of foreign lawyers and journalists who visited the country and conducted investigations on killings and harassment of lawyers and media practitioners who have been critical of the Duterte administration.
Also on Thursday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III underscored the need to impose more severe penalties for perjury following the accusations hurled by Advincula against the President’s family.
“We should strengthen the law. That is one good (piece of legislation) that we should file in the 18th Congress. Let us impose graver penalties for perjury to instill fear [on] those who make fake news or those who tend to lie,” said Sotto in an interview over radio dzMM.
Sotto also batted for a review of the Department of Justice’s witness protection program, which he said was open to abuse.
The Public Attorney’s Office said it is not interested in Advincula’s case.
“He already has private counsel. He has no need for us,” Chief Public Attorney Persida Rueda-Acosta said when asked whether her agency would be inclined to take his case.
The PAO, an attached agency of the Department of Justice, exclusively represents indigent clients unable to afford private counsel.
She also questioned why the IBP allowed Advincula to hold a press conference in its offices. With PNA
