MoNDAy / SEPTEMBER 23,2019
WWW.INQUIRER.NET
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?3$.[l BO|JIITY
FOR I(ITTER$
OF BATOCABE?
LEGAZPI CITY-The House
of Refiresentatives will ask the
Philippine National Police to
account for the P35-millionre-
ward raised for the capture of
ttrc mastermind and killers of
Ako Bicol (AKB) Rep. Rodel Ba-
tocabe in December last year,
according to his colleague at
AKB, Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr.
The House members con-
tdbuted P13 million to the re-
ward, so "as a matter oftrans-
parency and accountability,
we woutd ask lPolice General
Oscarl Albayalde before his
retirement to submit to
Congress a report where tJle
moneywas used" Garbin said.
Albayalde, the PNP chief, will
retire in November.
Batocabe and his security
aide were killed on Dec. zz,
shortly after leaving a Christ-
mas party in Daraga town,
Albay province. Batocabe
was campaigning for Daraga
mayor in the May 13 midterm
elections and was running
against reelectionist Mayor
carlwyn Baldo -and former
Vice Mayor Victor Perete,
now the Daraga mayor.
Baldo has been tagged as
the mastermind of the killing
but he has been out on bail
'.since"The
Sept. 9.
contributions came
from the pockets of con-
gressmen who were close to
lBatocabe] and who wanted a
fast resolution of the case,"
Garbin said.
A total of P2o million of
the reward money came from
President Duterte, while P2
million was put up by the Al-
bay provincial governmenl
The AKB party list ptedged
P15 million but the money
would now be used to cover lit-
igation expenses, Garbin said.
Retraction
Asked if the House was
concemed about reports that
key witnesses against Baldo
had re$acted theA testimonies
after failing to get some of ttre
bounty as promised, Garbin
said, "I cannot confirm nor de-
ny tlle reports, but the matter
is being looked into."
Baldo was charged with
double murder and six counts
of attempted murder in con-
nection with the killing of Ba-
tocabe and his aide, and the
wounding of six other people.
Baldo denied the charges,
saying that he was a "conve-
nient scapegoat."
Judge Maria Theresa San
Juan-Loquillano of the Re-
gional Trial Court Branch 10
here allowed Baldo's tempo-
rary liberty on Aug. 27 after
concluding that the evidence
against him was "not enough
to convince the court ... to de-
ny his motion to bail."
Baldo's arraignment is
scheduled next month. -MAR
ARGUELLES INQ
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