Press Release
May 24, 2019

Dispatch from Crame No. 525:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on Peter Advincula's (aka Bikoy) Allegations against the Opposition

5/24/19

Let me start by stating, categorically, that like me, none of my staff has anything to do with the so-called 'Bikoy' exposé. None of us knows 'Bikoy' or has ever met or talked to him, or otherwise dealt with him.

When I first started hearing about the 'Bikoy' exposé, the foremost question in my mind was - Is 'Bikoy' for real, or is he a fraud? Worse, is he being used in some ploy that would eventually lead to the vilification of the opposition?

That's why I was pushing for an investigation into the so-called 'Bikoy' exposé. I wanted to know the truth, both about 'Bikoy' and his narrative.

Now this bizarre turn of events, which seemingly, if not strongly, supports the theory that 'Bikoy' is a professional con artist being used by sinister forces against the opposition. Either that, or this guy is a criminal psychopath, with a superb ability to concoct tales.

And this is my take on this matter -

Whoever is or are handling 'Bikoy''s prodigal-son-returning-to-the-Duterte-fold story probably think that they have put me in a difficult situation.

Oo nga naman, paano ko siya tatawaging sinungaling kung may mga katotohanan siyang ibinulgar tungkol sa kung paano ako "pinroyekto" o "inoperate" ng mga tauhan at kakuntyaba ng Duterte Administration para mabansagan akong "drug queen"? At yan ang matagal ko nang alam at paulit-ulit na sinasabi: gawa-gawa lamang, at produkto ng isang grand conspiracy of lies, ang pagdadawit nila sa akin sa illegal drug trade.

Inaasahan siguro ng mga taong gumagawa ng script ni 'Bikoy' na mahihirapan akong itanggi ang mga kasinungalingan niya - tulad ng diumano'y kinalaman ng Liberal Party at ng sarili kong tanggapan sa kanyang mga pasabog laban kay Duterte, kanyang pamilya at mga tauhan - kung hahaluan nila ng mga katotohanang paborable sa akin.

Ang sagot ko ay simple lamang: even if a broken clock tells the correct time twice a day, that doesn't make it any less broken. A liar can tell the truth in order to give credence to his lies, and he can lie in order to poison the truth; it doesn't make the lies any more true, or the truths any more false. The question is how do we tell the difference? By using reason and discernment, and digging deeper.

Kahit na pinagbali-baligtad na ni Duterte ang mundo sa paghanap ng ebidensya na ako ay sangkot sa droga, wala pa rin silang maipakitang pruweba maliban sa mga kasinungalingan ng mga so-called witnesses, karamihan ay mga convicted drug lords sa Bilibid. Laway lamang ang ebidensya nila laban sa akin. Ang tanging puhunan nila ay mga kasinungalingan.

Kaya wala akong alinlangan na tahasang itanggi ang akusasyon na ako o ang aking opisina ay may kinalaman sa mga exposés ni 'Bikoy'.

Pero naniniwala pa rin ako na dapat imbestigahan ang mga akusasyon laban sa mga kamag-anak at kakampi ni Duterte tulad ng pag-imbestiga sa akin noon. Those allegations should be investigated with the same, if not more, vigor, as the allegations against me. Iyon lang ang paraan para malaman ang katotohanan.

At ito rin ang dapat natin malaman--Sino-sino ang mga nasa likod ng mga gawa-gawang akusasyon laban sa akin?

I go back to what I've been saying all this time. Truth is paramount. And the truth shall set me free, literally!

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