NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Court Finds Bikoy Guilty Of Perjury
Photo credit: Atty. Erin Tañada
Peter Joemel "Bikoy" Advincula, the whistleblower who made allegations against three lawyers in 2019, has been pronounced guilty of perjury by the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Branch 17.
Advincula was sentenced to an indeterminate penalty of three months and one day of arresto mayor as a minimum, up to one year and one day of prision correccional as a maximum. No civil liability was adjudged due to a lack of basis, and the costs of the trial were ordered to be shouldered by the accused.
The verdict was handed down on May 22, by Judge Karla Funtila-Abugan.
During the promulgation of judgment, both the public prosecutor Rico Betic and private prosecutor Gregorio Tanaka Viterbo were present, along with Advincula, and his defense counsel, Atty. Accel J. Celis and Atty. Raven Claire Malaca from the Public Attorney's Office.
The court's decision was finalized and entered into the court's book of judgments on May 24.
Lawyers Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno, Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III, and former Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te were the ones who filed the case against Advincula. The case stemmed from allegations of perjury, which refers to knowingly making false statements under oath during a judicial proceeding.
In a sworn statement in July 2019, Advincula said the three civil rights lawyers are “members of "Project Sodoma", an alleged plot to commit crimes of sedition, inciting to sedition, cyberlibel, estafa, harboring a criminal and obstruction of justice.
Both parties involved were duly informed of their right to avail of post-judgment remedies.
Additionally, copies of the decision were furnished to the public and private prosecutors, the private complainants, the accused, and his defense counsel.
Advincula rose to national prominence in 2019 when he claimed to be the hooded whistleblower "Bikoy" in a series of videos known as the "Ang Totoong Narcolist." These videos implicated prominent figures in the Philippine government, including former President Rodrigo Duterte and his family in alleged drug-related activities.
A month later, Advincula resurfaced and levied allegations against the opposition, claiming they were the masterminds behind the scheme.
Advincula was sentenced to an indeterminate penalty of three months and one day of arresto mayor as a minimum, up to one year and one day of prision correccional as a maximum. No civil liability was adjudged due to a lack of basis, and the costs of the trial were ordered to be shouldered by the accused.
The verdict was handed down on May 22, by Judge Karla Funtila-Abugan.
During the promulgation of judgment, both the public prosecutor Rico Betic and private prosecutor Gregorio Tanaka Viterbo were present, along with Advincula, and his defense counsel, Atty. Accel J. Celis and Atty. Raven Claire Malaca from the Public Attorney's Office.
The court's decision was finalized and entered into the court's book of judgments on May 24.
Lawyers Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno, Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III, and former Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te were the ones who filed the case against Advincula. The case stemmed from allegations of perjury, which refers to knowingly making false statements under oath during a judicial proceeding.
In a sworn statement in July 2019, Advincula said the three civil rights lawyers are “members of "Project Sodoma", an alleged plot to commit crimes of sedition, inciting to sedition, cyberlibel, estafa, harboring a criminal and obstruction of justice.
Both parties involved were duly informed of their right to avail of post-judgment remedies.
Additionally, copies of the decision were furnished to the public and private prosecutors, the private complainants, the accused, and his defense counsel.
Advincula rose to national prominence in 2019 when he claimed to be the hooded whistleblower "Bikoy" in a series of videos known as the "Ang Totoong Narcolist." These videos implicated prominent figures in the Philippine government, including former President Rodrigo Duterte and his family in alleged drug-related activities.
A month later, Advincula resurfaced and levied allegations against the opposition, claiming they were the masterminds behind the scheme.
May 25, 2023
