Peter Advincula out of police custody

MANILA, Philippines — Peter Joemel Advincula, who claims to be “Bikoy,” has been released from government’s protective custody, the Philippine National Police said Tuesday.

Police colonel Bernard Banac, PNP’s spokesperson, said Advincula is “out and not in the custody of the PNP,” around two weeks ago.

He added that the police calls Advincula “every now and then” when they have clarificatory questions on his earlier filed affidavit.

The PNP placed Advincula under protective custody when he went back to the police headquarters and submitted his affidavit.

Advincula, who identified himself as the hooded figure in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos, first surfaced at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines office on May 3. He said he stands by the contents of the video series that accused Duterte and his family of involvement in drug trafficking.

He said he was seeking legal aid from the IBP to sue the persons he named in the video as members of a supposed drug syndicate, but the IBP rejected his application.

Three weeks later, Advincula, whose credibility has been questioned, surfaced again. This time at the PNP where he said he is seeking custody. He also walked back on his earlier statement and said the Liberal Party and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV are involved in the creation of the videos. Both the LP and Trillanes denied his allegations.

READ: The shifting narratives on the 'Bikoy' videos, according to Peter Advincula

Banac said the police is still looking into Advincula’s allegations.

The police spokesperson also said Advincula did not formalize his request for security detail so the PNP has not acted on it.

“There was no follow up on his request for personal security so our assumption on this is that he is on his own, he’s doing good. There is no complaint that there is a threat to his life,” Banac added in a mix of English and Filipino.

Advincula is also named as a respondent in an estafa complaint filed before the National Prosecution Service at the Department of Justice, but he nor his counsel did not appear in the preliminary investigation proceedings.

The complaint was filed by businessman Arven Valmores over an August 2018 beauty pageant in Albay which the respondent allegedly sponsored using the corporate name and logo of Valmores’ business—without his consent—for promotion.

DOJ wrapped up its preliminary investigation into the complaint, without Advincula’s counter-affidavit. — Kristine Joy Patag