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Duterte regains upper hand in the battle of Narco Lists

After Bong Go, President Duterte’s former special assistant who is now one of the frontrunners in the senatorial race, did the humiliating act of undressing in front of the media and under the glare of TV cameras, to show his tattoo-less back, the question of those who were initially impressed with the first three episodes of “Ang totoong Narco list” is, what’s Bikoy going to say about this?

Former Police Officer Eduardo Acierto appeals for help to find asylum in another country.

Bikoy, for those who did not follow his video series, claims to be a former member of a drug syndicate operating in Southern Luzon and Visayas region. He said he was involved in the recording of transactions and showed copies of the documents in the video where he appeared as hooded figure.

For many days after Go debunked his claim about having personally seen a tattoo with dragon figure on the back of Duterte’s aide, he was silent which was not surprising. As Terry Ridon, former urban poor chief of the Duterte administration, in his opinion piece in the Philippine Daily Inquirer said, “ Wala na, finish na.”

The title of Ridon’s article was “The ‘Bikoy’ who cried wolf”

In Episode 4 which is now being circulated online.Bikoy countered Go’s physical repudiation of his claim at the beginning of the two minute and 40 seconds video.

He stood by his allegation and said when the time comes for him to face the public, he will relate how he personally saw Go’s tattoo. He alleged that Go had his tattoo removed and noted some marks on the back of Duterte’s former aide which to people fond of going to spas, looked like Ventosa cupping marks.

Bikoy showed a video of a basketball game where Go played for the Executive Department team and noted a portion of the tattoo on his shoulders.

But in this age of photo shop and deep fakes, once credibility is lost, it’s easy to dismiss images as fake.

Episode 4 is about the alleged involvement of Mans Carpio in the drug syndicate just like what he alleged about former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, Go and Veronica Salvador, which he hinted could be Duterte’s partner, Honeylet Avanceña. He said the next episode will be about the syndicate’s organizational structure.

But as Ridon said, “ Wala na, finish na.”

Former Police Officer Eduardo Acierto appeals for help to find asylum in another country.

The fallout of Bikoy’s Narco List series also affected the revelations of former Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto who released last week a second video reiterating his allegations about the three Chinese who are big players in the international drug syndicate. One of them is Michael Yang, Duterte’s economic adviser.

Acierto said the information he holds about Yang and the other personalities which he mentioned in Secret Report he submitted to Malacañang and police officials is the reason Duterte wants him killed. He is asking for help to find a country that could grant asylum for him and his family.

Acierto knows a lot about Duterte having been an official of the Philippine National Police assigned in Davao. His allegations cannot be easily dismissed.

But as one security analyst remarked, “ With Episode 3 gone, Acierto won’t make a dint.”

Oh well, nobody said the fight against malevolent forces is easy.