Is Bikoy next?
The alleged uploader of the viral YouTube series Ang Totoong Narco List (The Real Narco List) has been arrested, a Department of Justice (DOJ) official announced today.
Charito Zamora, the officer-in-charge of the DOJ’s Office for Cybercrime, said the uploader of the videos was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for cyber libel, CNN Philippines reported.
Zamora said, however, that no additional details are available as they are still waiting for the NBI’s report, reported ABS-CBN News. She clarified that the NBI only arrested the alleged uploader of the videos, and not Bikoy, a hooded character who introduced himself in the viral videos as a former member of a drug syndicate.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra also confirmed the arrest, Rappler reported. Law enforcers who were searching for drugs where the suspect was found also allegedly found explosives.
Earlier last month, the DOJ announced that they are hunting down the people behind the viral videos, including Bikoy, who has accused presidential son Paolo Duterte, presidential son-in-law Manases Carpio, and former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go of receiving millions of pesos from an illegal drug syndicate.
The Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde also said they are looking for Bikoy, whom he said could possibly be committing cyber libel.
The Bikoy controversy reached a new dramatic chapter last month after a newspaper with links to the administration, the Manila Times, published an “association matrix” which alleged that the videos of Ang Totoong Narco List were allegedly being distributed to Rappler and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) by veteran journalist Ellen Tordesillas, the president of non-profit news organization Vera Files.
The Manila Times said they received the matrix from a “highly-placed source” in President Rodrigo Duterte’s office and alleged that the journalists published Bikoy’s videos to incite public anger and lead to Duterte’s ouster.
The plot thickened when Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the matrix was created by no less than the president himself, reported ABS-CBN News.
Meanwhile, the journalists tagged in the “association matrix” have denied that they are involved with any plots to oust Duterte.
Felipe “Ipe” Salvosa, the Manila Times’ managing editor, resigned following the publishing of the controversial matrix and said that he didn’t agree with the publication of the story. However, the newspaper said that Salvosa was asked to resign from his post.
