(File photo)
MANILA – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday confirmed that a person identified with an account on video-sharing app TikTok linked to the alleged assassination plot against presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (BBM) has surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“The owner of the BBM death threat account voluntarily turned himself into the NBI yesterday (Tuesday). He was advised to secure the assistance of counsel. I think he went to the NBI to give his side, but he’s not under arrest,” Guevarra said in a message to reporters.
Guevarra said due to security reasons, the NBI would not give any details for now while the case is still being evaluated.
The NBI was earlier given a month to report on the alleged slay attempt made through the Chinese video-sharing platform.
Guevarra earlier clarified the government investigates all threats on public officials, past and present, including candidates running for public office, upon prompt receipt of information.
He said the DOJ Office of Cybercrime and NBI may also track down individuals who threaten to kill or rape public officials.
A death threat is an unlawful act whether one believes it or not and even if it is unlikely, he added.
The TikTok user allegedly posted “we are meeting everyday to plan for BBM’s assassination. Get ready.”
Coming clean
Meanwhile, NBI officer-in-charge director Eric Distor said the man, identified as Ruel 'Bong' Ricafort, went to the bureau's-Anti Organized and Transnational Crime Division (AOTCD) expressed his intention to file a complaint against those persons who maliciously used his name on TikTok.
Last month, a video that went viral showed a man claiming to be Ricafort threatening to assassinate Marcos.
In his statement to the NBI, Ricafort said when he was informed of the video, he searched and viewed the video and found out that someone illegally used his TikTok account, making it appear that his group plans to assassinate the presidential aspirant. (PNA)
