Daraga mayor denies hand in Batocabe slay
MANILA, Philippines — The mayor of Daraga town in Albay on Thursday insisted that he has no hand in the murder of Rep. Rodel Batocabe (Ako Bicol party-list) and his security aide in December last year.
Mayor Carlwyn Baldo issued the statement hours after he was identified by the Philippine National Police as the alleged mastermind in the killing of Batocabe, who was running for mayor in the 2019 polls.
According to one of the suspects, Baldo hired six individuals to assassinate Batocabe and his security aide last December 22, PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing.
The police chief added that double murder and frustrated murder charges have been filed against Baldo and six others.
'Easy target'
But Baldo decried allegations of his link in the congressman’s killing.
“A great injustice has been done not only to [Congressman] Batocabe and SPO2 Diaz but also to their families and to the victims who were caught in the line of fire and to the people of Daraga. But in our quest for justice, let us avoid committing injustice,” he said in a press briefing Thursday.
He claimed that he is being used as an “easy target but that does not make me guilty of the crime.”
“I assert my innocence. Let us not forget that while I’m being used as convenient scapegoat, those who are truly responsible for the crime remain free and blameless,” Baldo said.
The Daraga mayor added that he will refrain from further discussing the matter until his camp receives the copy of the police complaint.
Palace, DILG: Conclusion of Batocabe case a ‘breakthrough’
Malacañang on Thursday lauded the “early and swift conclusion” of the investigation into the killing of Batocabe.
“This is a breakthrough in the pursuit of justice for the victims and their families,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
He assured Baldo and those tagged as suspects that they will have their day in court.
“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,” Panelo said.
Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año also commended the PNP for solving the case of the killing of Batocabe in “record time.”
“The PNP already has in its custody eyewitnesses and numerous pieces of evidence that point to the mayor as the mastermind of the killing. Thus, we have an airtight case which we shall duly prove in court,” Año said.
He added: “The breakthrough in this case occurred because of relentless police investigation and intelligence operations and we shall apply this standard in all possible acts of ‘political terrorism’ in connection with the forthcoming elections.
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