Otso Diretso bets deny they met with Advincula

Defeated senatorial candidates from the Otso Diretso opposition coalition on Thursday denied involvement in the alleged plot to discredit the Duterte administration through a series of videos.

"Maliwanag na kasinungalingan 'yan," Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, referring to Peter Joemel Advincula's claim that Otso Diretso bets were part of the plot and that he had met with them all except Manuel "Mar" Roxas.

"Hindi ko nakaharap 'yan. I never met him. Sa Otso Diretso, hindi kami gagawa ng kalokohan para kami makapuwesto," Alejano added.

Advincula claimed to be the hooded man named Bikoy in the videos, which accused members of the First Family and incoming senator Bong Go of receiving drug money.

At a press conference on Thursday, Advincula said the videos were all lies and part of a plot to bring down the Duterte administration and install Vice President Leni Robredo as President.

"Ang galing niya gumawa gawa ng kwento. Ang galing niya mangdamay. Kung naniniwala silang totoo yan, mag-file sila ng kaso sa korte. Hindi 'yung gumagawa gawa sila ng kwento sa press con," Alejano said of Advincula.

Election lawyer and another Otso Diretso candidate Romulo Macalintal, meanwhile, found Advincula's claim as ridiculous and false.

"Hindi ko nakakausap 'yan. Saka nakausap raw niya ang Otso Diretso? Hindi nga kami nakukumpleto eh," he said in a separate interview.

"Sinasabi niyang wala si Mar Roxas kasi hindi naman talaga namin nakakasama si Mar Roxas, bihira lang. Kasi pag kasama namin siya, siya na lang ang napapansin dahil siya ang kilala ng tao. Kaya ang ginawa namin, hiwa-hiwalay kami," Macalintal said.

For her part, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc said she does not know Advincula nor had she met him.

"I have met thousands of people during the campaign, but I have and will never meet somebody on such matters or under the circumstances Bikoy was referring to," she said.

"I do not understand these allegations against Otso Diretso candidates and the Liberal Party, why I am being implicated and what this political harassment is for. But in every dark place, the light and the truth will always prevail," she added.

Human rights lawyer and chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) Chel Diokno also denied that they were the counsel of Advincula.

"Ang FLAG ay hindi abogado ni 'Bikoy.' Inilapit sa FLAG ang kaso, pero tumanggi ang FLAG, kaya ang naging sagot namin ay sa IBP na lang siya lumapit. Karaniwan namang ginagawa ito ng mga abogado pag tumanggi silang tanggapin ang isang kaso," he said. —KBK, GMA News