THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Davao City chapter opposed giving Peter Joemel Advincula, who surfaced and claimed to be "Bikoy," legal support from the organization.
Advincula, the man behind the video expose "Ang Totoong Narcolist," surfaced on Monday, May 6, at the IBP national office in Pasig City and asked the organization to help him file charges against personalities mentioned in the video -- former presidential aide Christopher "Bong" Go, former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte, and his brother-in-law Manases Carpio.
On Tuesday, May 7, IBP Davao chapter expressed in a press statement its disappointment to the central chapter "for allowing itself to be used as the staging area for Bikoy's show."
"The IBP Davao City Chapter is neither privy to Bikoy's show nor supportive of the same. It does not reflect the sentiment of the membership of the Chapter as an organization," the local chapter said.
While IBP Davao respects the IBP National in representing its membership on some national issues, they said "Bikoy" does not deserve the chapter's support since the IBP is a non-partisan organization not established to cater to political interests.
"The fundamental purposes of the Integrated Bar shall be to elevate the standards of the legal profession, improve the administration of justice, and enable the Bar to discharge its public responsibility more effectively," the chapter said, adding the decision of the current leadership of the IBP National is not in accord with the said purposes.
The chapter said it will not tolerate any statement from the said leadership, stressing it will result in politicizing the organization.
Meanwhile, IBP-Davao president Rogelio Largo urged the national chapter to fact-check the claims of "Bikoy."
"Since membership in the IBP is compulsory for all lawyers, our national leaders owe it to their members not to use the organization, its office, and its funds to promote particular political views or advance a political agenda with which some if not most members disagree," Largo said in his Facebook post.
He also called the Supreme Court to step in and investigate the situation.