LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — While there is no evidence yet to link a politician to the shooting of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his escort, police said the politician is not yet off the hook.
“There is no substantial evidence yet to link a mayor in this incident… but he is not yet off the hook,” Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde said yesterday. He declined to name the politician.
“It will be unfair to mention the name without having substantial evidence to link him,” he said.
Batocabe had filed a certificate of candidacy for mayor of Daraga in Albay. Incumbent Mayor Carlwyn Bado is running for reelection while Vice Mayor Victor Perete is also reportedly running for mayor.
The congressman's widow has said political rivalry is the likely motive for the murder.
Albayalde said they have identified “persons of interest” in the shooting of Batocabe and his escort Senior Police Officer 2 Orlando Diaz.
“Our investigators and the whole of PRO5 (Police Regional Office 5) have now identified and are closely watching six persons of interest. Hopefully, we could extract from them something substantial,” Albayalde said after a case conference with Bicol police officials and investigators at Camp General Simeon Ola here.
“Although not a single one has yet been invited or arrested, at least we now have something to pursue,” the PNP chief said. He declined to identify the six.
He also said they have not yet discounted the involvement of communist rebels in the twin murders despite the denial issued by the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army.
“Maybe the communist movement is not involved. But some of their members could be involved as their personal or individual activity – as sort of their ‘sideline’,” Albayalde pointed out.
He cited, for instance, some off-duty policemen moonlighting as security escorts of politicians or VIPs – a practice not officially sanctioned by the PNP.
“This is the reason why we are not yet totally discounting their involvement in that incident,” Albayalde added.
He said that after shooting Batocabe and Diaz after a gift giving event last Dec. 22, the gunman blended with the crowd to escape. He said some people may have recognized the gunman but he lamented that “not even one is willing to talk.”
He said he hopes the P30-million reward would embolden witnesses to come forward and help in the investigation.
The PNP chief also revealed that Supt. Charlotte Peñalosa of the Bicol Police Security Protection Group did not withdraw Batocabe’s security escorts, contrary to earlier information received by police. “It’s not true she had ordered a security pullout,” Albayalde said.
The PNP chief said he had already ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Bicol to handle the Batocabe murder case to dispel concerns over possible whitewash.
“That speculation of ‘whitewash’ or ‘fall guys’ is a remote possibility. I ordered the CIDG and the entire Bicol police force to solve the crime immediately but carefully,” Albayalde said.
He also requested politicians and candidates to coordinate with the police before proceeding to an area for their sorties.
“What we will provide is not security to the politicians, but safety of the crowd in an area who would attend any event. And this is not electioneering. Anyway, it is our mandate to secure the people,” Albayalde said.
Act fast
Lawmaker-allies of Batocabe, meanwhile, are calling for swift police action on the case.
“This should not go into the statistics again of unresolved crimes. It’s very unfortunate that police authorities have yet to update the family of Rodel about their investigation,” said Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., Ako Bicol’s second nominee.
“We call on them (PNP) to share with family members whatever developments they may have on the case,” he said.
He claimed Batocabe received threats after he filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor of Daraga. “I can readily agree that it is purely politics,” Garbin said.
“We are calling on all law enforcement agencies to swiftly bring the perpetrators of this act to the bar of justice. The act of violence is an assault on Congress itself as an institution and those involved must not go unpunished,” the lawmakers stated in a paid advertisement.
“As elected representatives of our districts, various party-list groups and constituencies, we now put our faith in our law enforcement agencies, that they exert all efforts in preserving peace and bringing those guilty of these heinous crimes to justice,” they added.
Aside from the P15 million pledged by Ako Bicol as reward for the arrest of Batocabe’s killer, P2 million had been pledged by Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara and at least P5 million by some House members.
President Duterte is reportedly planning a “private visit” to Batocabe’s wake anytime today.
The remains of Batocabe, a lawyer, were at the Arcilla Hall of the state-owned Bicol University in Daraga. His interment is scheduled on Dec. 31 in Daraga, Albay.
A memorial service for Batocabe will be held at the House of Representatives on Jan. 14.
Hotspots
Meanwhile, two poll watchdogs yesterday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to immediately identify election “hotspot areas.”
In separate interview, Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) executive director Rona Caritos and National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) secretary-general Eric Alvia said that with the killing of Batocabe, measures should immediately be put in place to prevent further violence and deaths ahead of the May elections.
“Comelec should do this now to prevent more election-related violence from happening,” Caritos said.
“All killings are alarming because it goes to the very essence of people’s right to run for public office and people’s right to vote for whom they want,” she said.
She added that identifying “hotspots” could “temper election-related violence” in such areas as “more security forces will be assigned to such areas” to maintain peace and order.
“We should not let violence prevail in general, not only because an election is coming. People are killing people with impunity and we should all work to put a stop to this,” Alvia maintained.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon vowed to bring up the matter in the next full meeting of the poll body. – With Delon Porcalla, Sheila Crisostomo