Court orders arrest of Daraga mayor

MANILA, Philippines — A police manhunt is underway for Daraga, Albay town mayor Carlwyn Baldo for the assassination of Ako Bicol party-list representative Rodel Batocabe in 2018.

Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon, Bicol police director, said in a text message yesterday that tracker teams are looking for Baldo after Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Acerey Pacheco issued the arrest warrant against Baldo on Wednesday.

A copy of the warrant was posted on Facebook yesterday by Batocabe’s son Justin who said the warrant was issued after the Supreme Court ruled that “the bail was erroneously issued.”

According to the warrant, Baldo was charged with two counts of murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code and that both cases are not qualified for bail.

In his Facebook post, Justin wrote that the bereaved family “hopes the Philippine National Police apprehend the murderer as soon as possible.”

“Should he continue in his flight from justice, I hope the DILG could step in and levy the appropriate administrative penalties,” he added referring to the Department of the Interior and Local Government. 

According to radio reports, Baldo remains at-large as he was nowhere to be found when police served the warrant.

Baldo was tagged as the mastermind for the killing of Batocabe and bodyguard SPO1 Orlando Diaz while attending a gift-giving event for senior citizens in Barangay Burgos in Daraga three days before Christmas in 2018. 

Baldo posted bail after his arrest in 2019 and eventually won as mayor of Daraga in the 2022 elections.