By Vince Angelo C. Ferreras
THE PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) has tagged Daraga, Albay, Mayor Carlwyn Baldo as the mastermind behind the Dec. 22, 2018 killing of Ako Bicol Representative Rodel M. Batocabe.
PNP chief Director-General Oscar D. Albayalde said the police has filed charges of double murder and six counts of frustrated murder against Mr. Baldo and six others at the Albay Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday morning, Jan. 3.
“Accordingly, the plan to assassinate Batocabe was hatched sometime in August 2018 when Batocabe announced in public his bid for the mayoral post of Daraga,” Mr. Albayalde said in a press conference on Thursday afternoon. “This was corroborated by Emmanuel Bonita Judavar who was involved in the initial planning but allegedly backed out during the actual assassination. Judavar earlier came forward and gave his knowledge to the police about the killing of Congressman Batocabe.”
Also implicated in the plot was Christopher “Tuping” Naval, identified as a security aide of Mr. Baldo, who surrendered to the police on Dec. 30, 2018. Another suspect, Emmanuel Rosello, identified as a former vigilante, was arrested in Daraga on Thursday morning.
Mr. Albayalde further disclosed in his press conference, “Later according to Tuping, Mayor Baldo allegedly offered P5 million for the hit job on Batocabe sometime in September 2018 and paid an initial amount of P250,000.00 to Tuping and his group for the purchase of guns and motorcycles.”
Mr. Naval allegedly formed a gun-for-hire team composed of former military and paramilitary personnel like him as well as New People’s Army rebels employed as staff of the Office of the Mayor. Each one of them received P7,000 monthly compensation, according to the police.
“According to Tuping and Judavar, the first attempt on Batocabe was during the congressman’s routine engagements at radio station DZJB and Hotel Venezia in Legazpi City, a pattern that was observed by the group in its casing and surveillance on Batocabe,” said Mr. Albayalde.
He added: “We consider (the case) as solved but not closed. Why? Because some of the suspects are not yet arrested so we will do everything to be able to arrest the suspects and we have also a letter submitted to DoJ for the issuance of a immigration lookout bulletin order for Mayor Baldo.”
On Thursday evening, Mr. Baldo held a press conference and read a statement saying in part, “I assert my innocence. Let us not forget that while I am being used as a convenient scapegoat, those who are truly responsible for the crime remain free and blameless.”
Mr. Batocabe and a police escort were gunned down at a gift-giving activity last Dec. 22.
For his part, Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año said, “Let this, therefore, serve as a stern warning against all politicians not to intimidate, harass, or do violence against their political opponents in the forthcoming elections, otherwise the DILG-PNP will run after them and ensure that justice will be served. I have placed the PNP on heightened alert to monitor the activities of all candidates in the forthcoming elections.”
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said: “Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo, together with all others tagged as suspects of the aforesaid murder, will have their day in court where they can refute the charges hurled against them. While they too are afforded the constitutional presumption of innocence and consequently will be accorded due process, the government shall nonetheless prosecute them for the heinous crime without delay.”

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR