Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 8) — Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to require the Philippine National Police (PNP) to produce more evidence that will support the sedition charges it filed against her and other opposition figures.
She requested to defer the submission of her counter-affidavit pending the receipt of evidence.
Robredo, through her lead counsel Marlon Manuel, filed what is called a motion for production and copying of evidence a day before the first preliminary investigation hearing at the DOJ.
The Vice President said the complainant filed by the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) only presented the sworn statement of Peter Joemel “Bikoy” Advincula, who claimed to be the hooded narrator of the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video series that implicates people close to President Rodrigo Duterte family in the illegal drug trade.
Her lawyer said the PNP-CIDG “deliberately withheld” the alleged evidence which was used as basis for the complaint. Manuel said Robredo was deprived of the right to properly respond to accusations against her.
Robredo urged the police to present all bases for the sedition complaint filed against her, Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros and former senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Bam Aquino and other Senate aspirants in the midterm election.
“Handa akong harapin ang mga akusasyong ito. Pero dapat patas ang laban. Ilabas ang ebidensya,” Robredo said in a tweet on Thursday.
[Translation: I am ready to face the accusations, but it has to be a fair fight. Present all the evidence.]
Robredo earlier said Advincula is an unreliable source. She believed the police may be using a lying witness just to undermine her leadership or that the witness may be using the police for the same purpose.
In the narco list video, Advincula revealed information about the Duterte family members and close allies supposedly having ties to an illegal drug syndicate. He later on retracted these statements, saying he was hired by the opposition to spread lies to discredit the President.
