MANILA, Philippines — Opposition Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Friday urged Liberal Party (LP) House members to rally behind Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo who was sued over her alleged link to the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” (The Real Narcolist) videos.
“We urge our fellow lawmakers at the House of Representatives to seriously consider where they stand in the face of the harassment and persecution brought upon our party chairperson. We must rally behind our party chairperson,” LP president Pangilinan said in a statement.
Pangilinan cited several attacks aimed at unseating Robredo including threats of impeachment, denial of her motion to end the electoral protest against her and filing of sedition and other cases against her over the controversial video series.
READ:PET refuses to dismiss Marcos’ poll protest: Robredo’s claim of victory ‘premature’
“Lahat ng panggigipit ng mga nakaraang taon ay dito nagtatapos: ang alisin ang mga balakid sa mga balak ng mga nasa kapangyarihan para ituloy ang patayan, ang paninikluhod sa China, at ang panghabambuhay na paghahari-harian nila sa bansa,” the lawmaker warned.
The PNP-CIDG on Thursday filed sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal and obstruction of justice cases against Robredo, opposition senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros, former senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Bam Aquino. Members of the Otso Diretso 2019 senatorial slate Chel Diokno, Romulo Macalintal, Florin Hilbay, Samira Gutoc, and Erin Tañada were also sued.
Also tagged in the complaints were Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Socrates Villegas and incumbent CBCP Vice President Archbishop Pablo Virgilio S. David, running priests Fr. Robert Reyes, Frs. Flaviano Villanueva, Albert E. Alejo, Bishops Honesto Ongtioco and Teodoro Bacani Jr.
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It was Peter Joemel Advincula– “Bikoy” of the controversial video series– who alleged that members and allies of the Duterte family had been receiving drug money from a drug syndicate. But appearing with ranking PNP officials on May 23, Advincula suddenly changed his tune and accused the opposition of conspiring to overthrow Duterte.
READ:‘Bikoy’ changes tune on videos | What happened then and now: Dissecting the twists and turns of ‘Bikoy’s’ tales
Robredo and other members of the opposition banner have already denied these claims. /muf