THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has activated its operation to arrest Peter Joemel Advincula, the man claiming to be "Bikoy” in a series of videos linking the Duterte family to illegal drugs.
The CIDG said on Friday, May 10, that it has secured a copy of the standing arrest warrant issued by the La Trinidad Municipal Trial Court in September 2007 against Advincula over charges of estafa.
The court recommended bail of P6,000.
Based on the arrest warrant, Advincula has been using several names such as Richard Benedict Santos, John Rafael Benedict Ramos, RB Santos and Archangel De Leon.
Advincula surfaced on Monday, May 6, and claimed that he is "Bikoy" in the "Ang Totoong Narcolist" videos that were circulated on social media. He sought legal assistance from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, which later turned down his request.
In the series of videos, "Bikoy" tagged presidential son Paolo Duterte, his brother-in-law Maneses Carpio and former special assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go as part of a drug syndicate.
Advincula's claims were put to question after authorities discovered that he was convicted of syndicated estafa.
In a press conference, Senate President Vicente Sotto revealed that Advincula approached him in 2016 and asked for his assistance to expose government officials including then President Benigno Aquino III.
He said he turned down Advincula because of his “undelievable claims.”
Senator Panfilo Lacson, who earlier scheduled a Senate inquiry on Bikoy’s claims, cancelled the hearing saying that it was “nonsense.” (SunStar Philippines)