An alleged blogger named Rodel Jayme underwent inquest proceedings before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday, May 2, after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) recommended charges of “inciting to sedition” against him.
In a charge sheet filed before the inquest prosecutor, the NBI Task Force on Cybercrime Division (CCD) under senior agent Francis Se?ora said the inciting to sedition was committed in relation to Republic Act 10175, otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Jayme had earlier been identified as the beneficiary of a Google ad sense account and as the primary source of the video featuring alias “Bikoy”, an anonymous accuser who appears in the video criticizing the Duterte’s administration’s war on drugs.
The NBI, in its report to the inquest prosecutor, said its investigation showed the first uploader of the video was a Youtube account under the handle name of “Ang Totoong Narcolist” and was subsequently posted and shared by different social media sites.
Seized from Jayme were a mobile phone, a cable TV billing statement, and a desktop computer.
The NBI Digital Forensic Laboratory team said upon scrutiny of the devices, it was found that Jayme’s Facebook account was still logged in and key message communications were also recovered.
Among the recovered conversation were to a certain “Maru Nguyen” and “Maru Xie”, which the NBI said is just a single person. In the conversation, Nguyen told Jayme that “Baka kausapin ka ng Magdalo”.
A certain “Filmore” who is a member of Magdalo was also mentioned by Nguyen who said the goal was to gain international attention to the posted video.
“Jayme and his cohorts did not just share/like the videos. Instead the posting is a concrete effort (not merely a statement of opinion) directed to a more complicated result,” the NBI said, noting that the acts were committed between April 2 to 30.
NBI deputy director Vicente De Guzman III approved the filing of the charges.
Senior prosecutor Anna Devanadera and associate prosecution attorney Mary Grace S. Arboladura said they will promptly resolve whether or not to file the charges in court. — Benjamin Pulta (PNA)
