A Manila court found whistleblower Peter Joemel Advincula, also known as “Bikoy”, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of perjury over the false claims he made against three lawyers back in 2019.
“WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Court finds accused PETER JOEMEL ADVINCULA GUILTY beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Perjury in Criminal Case No. M-MNL-21-00230-CR,” the Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Branch 17 said in its decision released on Monday, May 22.
Advincula was sentenced to an intermediate penalty of 3 months and a day to 1 year and a day of imprisonment.
He was charged with perjury following the complaint of lawyers Jose Manuel Diokno, Theodore Te, and Lorenzo Tañada III in September 2019 over his false testimonies.
In July 18, 2019, Bikoy submitted to prosecutors an sinumpaang salaysay or sworn statement alleging that the three civil rights lawyers were part of a group known as "Project Sodoma”.
Advincula earlier claimed that he saw the group meet at the Leung Hall in the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) on March 4, 2019, and that they plotted to oust former president Rodrigo Duterte and commit libel, sedition, and cyber libel.
But Diokno and Tañada denied meeting Advincula at the said hall.
"Atty. Diokno and Atty. Tanda testified that they never saw or met the accused on March 4, 2019 at Leung Hall in ADMU and their presence thereat was only for the purpose of attending the Forum as they were both Senatorial candidates at that time," the decision reads.
"In sum, the essential element of deliberate falsehood was established in this case and accordingly satisfies the required quantum of evidence for a conviction for Perjury," the Muntilupa further said.
Written By Dana Ebreo, DZRH News Online Intern
