IBP chief confident fair probe on sedition raps will clear him

Cayosa declined to comment on the details, adding that he is yet to receive documents, but denied knowing Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy”. He said that his office is still investigating the circumstances around the press conference held by Bikoy before the IBP national office, which the latter later rescinded. (File Photo: Integrated Bar of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA — Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Domingo Egon Cayosa on Tuesday said he is confident that an earnest investigation by authorities will clear him of the inciting to sedition charges filed by the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

“I was informed about it, I don’t have enough knowledge of the details, as I understand my name was included in the list, but I’m very very confident that when the CIDG and the investigators will refine their work they will see the truth and they will act accordingly,” Cayosa said in a chance interview at the Supreme Court (SC) with newsmen, where IBP officers took their oath of office before Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin.

Cayosa declined to comment on the details, adding that he is yet to receive documents, but denied knowing Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy”. He said that his office is still investigating the circumstances around the press conference held by Bikoy before the IBP national office, which the latter later rescinded.

“At this point we cannot reveal it to media, we operate, we don’t do these things for media consumption but to find out the truth , we go by the rules. I think as they investigate the case it will unfold,” Cayosa said, adding the IBP is still “studying the legality of whether or not the government can look into it”.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier assured his agency will conduct a fair investigation of the criminal complaints filed by the PNP-CIDG over revelations made by Advincula.

Charges of sedition, inciting to sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal/obstruction of justice were filed against Cayosa and 34 other individuals.

Aside from Cayosa also named in the complaint were Vice President Ma. Leonor Robredo, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV; Jonnell P. Sangalang; Eduardo Acierto; Senators Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel and Leila de Lima; former Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) president Abdiel Fajardo; former Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te; lawyers Minerva Ambrosio, Serafin Salvador, and Philip Sawali.

Also included were senatorial candidates Samira Gutoc-Tomawis, Paolo Benigno A. Aquino, lawyer Lorenzo “Erin” R. Tañada III, Gary Alejano, Florin Hilbay, Romulo Macalintal, and Jose Manuel Diokno.

Likewise charged were Yolando Villanueva Ong, Fr. Flaviano Villanueva, Fr. Albert E. Alejo, Fr. Robert Reyes, Bro. Armin A. Luistro, Cubao Diocese Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco, retired Novaliches Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr., Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David, former Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Socrates Villegas, publicist Boom Enriquez, Vicente R. Romano III, Danilo Songco, and film actor/activist Joel Saracho.

A certain alias “Sentrix” and “John Doe”, along with “Bikoy”, were also named for their part in the so-called Project Sodoma, which was allegedly hatched to discredit administration candidates during the May 13 elections.