Justice department indicts Rodel Jayme
Credit to Author: JOMAR CANLAS, TMT| Date: Mon, 06 May 2019 16:14:59 +0000
The Department of Justice (DoJ) on Monday ordered the indictment of Rodel Jayme, who admitted creating a website where the “Bikoy” videos that linked President Rodrigo Duterte’s family to the illegal drugs trade were hosted.
A resolution passed by the DoJ-National Prosecution Service recommended the filing of sedition charges against Jayme, who was arrested last week following a search of his house in Parañaque.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) accused Jayme of inciting others to commit rebellious acts by uploading the “Ang Totoong Narcolist” videos, which claim that Duterte’s son, former Davao vice mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte; son-in-law Manasas “Mans” Carpio; and former presidential aide Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, among others, had received payoffs from drug syndicates.
Inquest prosecutors said Jayme’s creation of a website that was used to circulate the videos aimed to weaken confidence in the government and stir up dissent.
“By creating a website and subsequently posting videos that allege the involvement in the drug trade and the receipt of payoffs by the President of the Philippines and members of his family, including the President’s minor daughter, is not an exercise of his (Jayme’s) freedom of expression, but a clear act to arouse among its viewers a sense of dissatisfaction against the duly constituted authorities,” the resolution stated.
It also affirmed the validity of Jayme’s arrest, noting that he was subjected to surveillance that satisfied the requirement of personal knowledge on the part of agents of unlawful acts.
The NBI alleged that “based on the retrieved conversations, there is continuity of… efforts to conduct their scurrilous libelous attacks against the government. The conversations also revealed that these attacks are planned and with backing from certain personalities.”
The recovered conversations included those with a certain “Maru Nguyan” and “Maru Xie,” who are allegedly the same person.
“The NBI Cybercrime Division [is ordered] to conduct further investigation against Maru Nguyen and Maru Xie on his/her alleged participation in the commission of the offense, and if warranted, file the appropriate complaint against them,” the resolution said.
Inquest prosecutors are set to file additional information against Jayme and other unnamed individuals whom he allegedly worked with. If convicted, he will face a prison term of six years and one day up to twelve years, among other penalties.
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