DOJ probing ‘Bikoy’ videos

The Department of Justice has begun investigating the series of videos alleging the involvement of President Rodrigo Duterte's family and his close associates in the illegal drug trade.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday that the department's Office of Cybercrime has "quietly started investigation of the source(s) of the so-called 'Bikoy' video" in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation's cybercrime unit.

The fact-finding investigation will entail the building of possible criminal cases against those behind the videos if the evidence warrants, the Justice chief confirmed.

"Bikoy" was the name adopted by the hooded figure who, in a series of recent videos uploaded online, accused the first family of ties to the illegal drug trade.

In the "Ang Totoong Narcolist" videos, the anonymous person, who claimed he was a former drug syndicate member, alleged, among others, that presidential son Paolo Duterte  and former Duterte top aide Bong Go had received millions of pesos in drug money.

Earlier, Philippine National Police chief Police General Oscar Albayalde said "Bikoy" may be held liable for violating the cybercrime law should he be unable to prove his allegations against the president's family.

On Monday, Malacañang backed a Manila Times report that linked media organizations and the National Union of People's Lawyers to a supposed destabilization plot against Duterte.

The report, which cited a single anonymous source, featured an "association matrix" showing the alleged flow, from "Bikoy" to the news outlets, of information supposedly meant to discredit the president. — BM, GMA News