Caloocan Bishop Pablo S. Virgilio S. David described the sedition and other criminal complaints filed against him and 37 other vocal critics of the administration by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) as “atrocious” and based on “false testimony.”
“The intention is obvious: pure harassment and an effort on the part of the PNP to do, not their sworn duty, but what they think will be pleasing to authorities,” David said.
For his part, retired Novaliches Bishop Teodoro Bacani Jr. called the charges “stupid” since it was based on the testimony of Peter Joemel Advincula, whom he described as “untrustworthy.
Bacani denied the allegation of PNP against him stressing he has not even met Advincula,
“That shows how stupid the police are, since they could be easily fooled,” Bacani in an interview in Church-owned Radio Veritas.
Cubao Bishop Honesto F. Ongtioco also denied the allegation of Advincula that he was among those responsible for the destabilization plot against Duterte.
“I don’t know why I am included in the list. I am and will always be a person of peace,” Ongtioco said in a SMS.
Advincula claimed to be “Bikoy” in the video, which linked President Rodrigo R. Duterte and his family and friends to illegal drugs operations.
Aside from David, Bacani, and Ongtioco, other members of the clergy who were sued by PNP-CIDG were Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas; and Fr. Robert Reyes and Fr. Albert E. Alejo.
Diversionary tactic
Bacani accused the administration of filing charges in an attempt to distract the public from a bigger issue.
“If the administration is doing this, they want to hide something from the public,” Bacani said.
David said the administration should have first investigated the credibility of Advincula’s claims before it even filed the cases against them.
“What motivates the supposed witness to give false witness to give false testimonies is what in fact they should be investigating,” David said.
He said the premature filing of charges harms the credibility of PNP.
“They are in effect doing a disservice, dishonor, and an injustice to their own institution and to the few remaining people integrity among their fellow officers in uniform,” David said.
“Perhaps they should be reminded of their motto, which is summed up in three words embalzoned in big, bold, letters on their coats of arms: Service, Honor, Justice,” he added.
Malacañang earlier denied its involvement in the cases stating it was independently filed by the police.