THE Philippine National Police (PNP) will recommend the awarding of the P50-million reward money to the lone witness who had been the key to the identification of the mastermind and gunmen behind the killing of Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe, a police official said Tuesday, January 8.

Chief Superintendent Amador Corpuz, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director, said Emmanuel Judavar' surrender and confession led to the surrender of Christopher Naval.

“Judavar opened everything for the surrender of the suspects,” Corpuz said in a press conference at Camp Crame.

Both Judavar and Naval are former security aides of Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo, who has been charged for the murder of Batocabe.

Judavar turned himself to the police after Batocabe’s killing on December 22.

He identified Baldo as the mastermind and Naval as another suspect.

Corpuz earlier said that according to Judavar, the plan to kill Batocabe was hatched by Baldo in August 2018, when the congressman announced his intention to run for the mayoral position of the town. Judavar left the group in September 2018.

Naval, who also surrendered, admitted taking part in the assassination.

He identified the other suspects namely Henry Yuson alias Romel, Rolando Arimado alias RR, Ammanuel Rosello alias Boboy, Jaywin Babor alias Jie and Daniel Muella alias Manoy Dan.

Naval said Yuson and Arimado were the gunmen, Rosello and Babor were the drivers of the getaway motorcycles, and Muella served as lookout.

All the suspects have surrendered to the police and they all tagged Baldo as the brains behind the killing.

Batocabe’s colleagues at the House of Representatives have raised P30 million as reward to whoever can provide information on the killers.

President Rodrigo Duterte added P20 million to the kitty. (SunStar Philippines)