By Benjamin Pulta/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio on Monday asked the Supreme Court to investigate officials of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for allowing Peter Joemel Advincula, alias “Bikoy”, to hold a press briefing at the group’s national headquarters.
In a letter to Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, Topacio said Advincula’s press briefing last May 6 at the IBP offices undermined the organization.
“Much damage has been done to the IBP, as well as to the legal profession in general hence, the officers responsible for this reprehensible event should be investigated and held accountable,” he said.
During Advincula’s press briefing at the IBP, he claimed he was “Bikoy”, the man behind a series of controversial videos called “Ang Totoong Narcolist” implicating Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s family in the illegal drug trade.
Advincula subsequently surrendered to authorities and claimed he was hoodwinked into being a video narrator.
“Yung IBP building exclusive use ‘yun ng mga miyembro ng IBP at mga adhikaing may kinalaman sa batas hindi mga walang basehang paninira o propaganda (Only members of the IBP can exclusively use the IBP building on concerns related to the law and not baseless accusations or propaganda),” he told reporters.
After Advincula went to IBP to seek for legal assistance, the IBP ruled that he is not entitled to free legal assistance under the organization’s standards.
On May 23 or two weeks after the IBP press briefing, Advincula surrendered to the Philippine National Police.
He recanted his previous accusations, saying these were all lies allegedly orchestrated by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and the Liberal Party.
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