By Jeffrey Damicog
The draft resolution concerning the sedition case against Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo and her co-respondents is done and will hopefully be released soon, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Wednesday (Jan. 22).
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra (TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO /MANILA BULLETIN)
“I understand that the draft resolution is for review na,” Guevarra told reporters.
The secretary responded to criticisms from respondents who accused the Department of Justice (DOJ) of sitting on the resolution of the case.
“Unlike ordinary cases under preliminary investigation, the sedition case involves many respondents and several charges all rolled into one,” the DOJ chief explained. “Our prosecutors are carefully evaluating the evidence in view of the highly sensitive nature of the case.”
A DOJ panel of prosecutors chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas concluded last Sept. 12 the preliminary investigation of the complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
The case stemmed from the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” video series which accused a number of personalities, including members of the Duterte family, as being involved in the illegal drugs trade.
The complaint was filed based on the testimonies of Peter Joemel Advincula who admitted being the hooded “Bikoy” in the viral videos.
In its complaint, the PNP-CIDG accused 36 respondents of having committed sedition, inciting to sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal, and obstruction of justice.
The PNP-CIDG said Advincula was allegedly engaged by the respondents for a destabilization plot called “Project Sodoma” to “spread lies against the President, his family, and close associates, making them to appear as illegal trade protectors and how they earned staggering amounts of money.”
Aside from Robredo and Advincula, the respondents named in the complaint include Senators Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros and Leila de Lima, as well as former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
The opposition’s losing “Otso Diretso” 2019 senatorial candidates were also named as respondents, namely, former Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, Robredo’s election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, former Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino, former Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tanada III, and Samira Gutoc-Tomawis.