PNP: No 'substantial evidence' yet vs mayor linked to Batocabe slay

MANILA, Philippines — Director General Oscar Albayalde, Philippine National Police chief, said on Wednesday that there is no substantial evidence to link Rep. Rodel Batocabe (Ako Bicol party-list)'s opponent in the mayoral race in Daraga, Albay to the killing of the congressman and his aide.

Albayalde held a case conference on Wednesday on the slay case of Batocabe and his police escort Orlando Diaz, who were shot dead at a gift-giving event last weekend.

The police chief said that they are looking into six persons of interest in the case but did not name them.

He also withheld the name of a mayor being linked to the case. “It might be unfair to mention the name immediately without really having substantial evidence to link him,” Albayalde said in a televised interview.

He explained that it has become common to point to the opposing party in crimes.

Batocabe's wife hinted of politics as the motive in the killing. The slain congressman was running for mayor of Daraga.

Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo has decried the speculations that he has a hand in Batocabe’s killing.

“These reports are dragging my name down. I accept (the blame), being the mayor of Daraga where this sad incident happened. What I cannot take are insinuations that I am behind this crime. People who know the background of our family (are aware) that we do not resort to violence to resolve issues,” Baldo said in a report by The STAR.

Albayalde also said that the investigators are having a hard time gathering information as not a lot of people want to talk. “Apparently, our countrymen are scared again, so we are wondering why. There were so many people in that area, not even one is willing to talk,” Albayalde said.

READ: Lawmaker’s family, colleagues ask witnesses to come forward

Communist attack?

The police chief said that they are still looking into the possibility that the attack was carried out by communist rebels.

“It could be that it is not a group’s sanction, but the same people were involved., The same individuals, but different work,” Albayalde alleged in a mix of Filipino and English.

He said that a person, and not the NPA itself, could be linked to the case.

“We are not discounting the possibilities here, not just political movement,” he added.

The Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and National Democratic Front, through its Bicol spokesperson Maria Roja Banua—likely an alias—have denied that they have a role in the killing.

"There is no truth to the statement of the (Philippine National Police) linking the revolutionary movement to the incident. Any NPA unit in Bicol has no involvement in the killing. It has become automatic to the (military and PNP) to blame the NPA in these kind of cases of killings and other crimes to cover up the investigation and hold responsible the perpetrators who belong to their ranks," Banua said.

‘Batocabe did not coordinate with PNP in event’

The police chief, in the press conference, said that they have learned that Batocabe’s camp did not coordinate with the authorities for the gift-giving event despite the huge crowd expected there.

He mentioned that Batocabe’s camp used to inform them of such events, but failed to do so this time.

READ: Happy day turns tragic as Batocabe murdered on wedding anniversary 

“We have to provide security in the area, not to the person but to make the crowd safe,” Albayalde stressed.

Albayalde also assured that there would be no whitewashing in the investigation, stressing that no less than the head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Superintdendent Amador Corpus, and the National Bureau of Investigation are on top of the probe. — Kristine Joy Patag