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*$fu*$$ VACC slams grant of bail
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to'brains'in Batocabe slay
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which allows Baldo to post bail.
ffim**#ffifu# s$my Baldo is facing two counts of
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murder for the slaying of Batocabe
* and his police escort Senior Police
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Officer 1 Orlando Diaz in Decem-
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ber last year.
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"The VACC assails the decision
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iri gir.+:: ki.i.{lrrg *fl;\}s* Sie*r} perqt'-}ixr of the court and ask for review by
ft*p, $t*E*** $lxrx**Lwr, the same court otherwise it will
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be elevated to higher courts," the
;.tftd il:,*r:r#p***r* group said in a statement.
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*-*lpr'n:ri tlitr' $,t*'g***.*,l $;* t {"*:uss News of the court's decision
i$::;r r:*h i.,* kll$,g,+:'V} *,'$' $r*;rre-*s, i.:f t:- shocked the family of Batocabe
i:;*i *le ru,: {t: **vi*.w and Ako Bicolgarty"list Rep. Al-
fredo Gabin lr.
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Iustin Batocabe" Rodelt son, said
murder is a non-bailable offense.
Gabin condemned the court
order, saying a witness had
positively identified Baldo as the
mastermind.
Mag;sasaka party-list Rep. fugel
Cabatbat also condemned "in the
strongest sense" the court's deci-
sion to release Baldo.
"Despite the overwhelming
amount of evidence presented
against him, which includes a
confession from the gunman
himself, Baldo was still allowed
to post bail. As a lawyer who
followed this case closely, I can-
not imagine the amount of legal
maneuvering that happened
to make this travesty even re-
motely possible," Cabatbat said
iq a statement.
'This is a mockery of our crimi-
nal justice system, a disgusting
reality that the rich and politi-
cally powerful often get to enjoy,
while the poorest of our country-
men farmers, laborers and the
-
rest of the working class are
condemned to the harshest con-
-
ditions for the smallest offenses
their circumstances force them to
commiL" he added.
Baldo was allowed to post
P3-million bail for each murder
count and be released on Monday,
almost four months after he was
arrested and charged.
Rodel's widow Gertie had not
explicitly commented on the is-
sug but her recent Facebook post
hinted on her reaction against
Baldo's freedom.
"Our family had been through
so much pain and injustice. We try
[tol endure it with quiet dignity
and when our faith alters, we pray
more," she said.
"l once asked a priest why it is
easier for evil men to triumph and
the ones who d6 good things are
usuallytaken bythe Lord. He sim-
ply ansWered'so they havc enough
time to repenti" she added.
Iustin earlier said in a statement
that their family feels "a mix of
anget shock and dejection" over
the court's decision.
He added that he would file
a motion for reconsideration to
blockthe release of Baldo.
JAIME PITAPIL
AND GLEE JALEA

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