MANILA, Philippines — The family of slain Rep. Rodel Batocabe (Ako Bicol party-list) is willing to protect any witness that can identify the mastermind into the killing of their patriarch.
The party-list lawmaker was gunned down on Sunday while attending a gift-giving program in Daraga, Albay.
"Whoever is the least guilty but knows the full details, we are ready to forgive you, kiss your hand, place you under witness protection program. Just point out the mastermind and you will still get the cash reward," Justin Batocabe, son of the elder Batocabe, said in a televised press conference.
The younger Batocabe stressed that his father did not have political enemies when he was alive.
Asked if they have speculations on who might be behind the killing of Batocabe, the son said they would let the police run the full course of the investigation.
"We will put our faith 100 percent in the system. We are not making any conjectures or allowing emotions to rule the day. We will allow justice, facts, science to rule the day," the younger Batocabe said.
Batocabe's son, however, admitted that his father received warnings but these would not be considered as solid death threats.
Congressmen and local officials in Bicol have raised a bounty of P30 million for information leading to the arrest of the killers of Batocabe and his security escort SPO1 Orlando Diaz.
Rep. Albee Benitez (Negros Occidental) said at least 153 members of the House of Representatives have contributed for the reward money as of Sunday.
The House has 292 members, 60 of which are party-list representatives like Batocabe, who was president of the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. in the lower chamber. — Patricia Lourdes Viray