ONE of the alleged gunman in the killing of Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe surrendered to authorities on Thursday evening, January 3, a police official said Friday.
Henry Yuson, alias Romel or Eno, surrendered to the military based in Albay on Thursday evening and was turned over to the custody of Bicol Police Regional Office Director Arnel Escobal.
Chief Superintendent Amador Corpuz, Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) director, said Yuson was identified as one of the two gunmen who shot and killed Batocabe and his security aide on December 22 in Daraga town in Albay.
Yuson was implicated by Christopher Naval, alias Tuping, who had admitted forming the six-man hit group against Batocabe allegedly on orders of Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo.
Baldo, reading a prepared statement via Facebook Live on Thursday evening, denied the allegation and said he is a “convenient scapegoat.”
The other gunman was identified as Rolando Arimado. Arimado and Yuson are both former New People’s Army rebels, police said.
The police earlier said that Yuson, Naval, Arimado and the three other suspects identified as Emmanuel Rosello, Jaywin Babor and Danilo Muella were all confidential staff of the Office of the Municipal Mayor of Daraga, Albay, each receiving a monthly compensation of P7,000.
According to Naval and another witness, Baldo ordered Batocabe’s killing after the latter announced his bid for the mayoral post of Daraga.
The six suspects and Baldo were all charged with double counts of murder and multiple counts of frustrated murder before the Albay Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday.
PNP chief Oscar Albayalde is set to personally speak with the suspects in Albay on Friday, January 4.
Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin said the PNP’s findings only affirms the suspicion of the party-list group.
“It only affirm our suspicions since day one when Congressman Rodel was killed. Ako Bicol Party-list will not rest until justice has been served to the Batocabe’s by securing a conviction of Mayor Baldo and his cohorts to the killing which will be adjudge by the competent Court of Justice,” said Garbin.
House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr., in an ambush interview, said: “For one, I am happy na solved na yung kaso. Secondly nakakatakot naman na kapwa politiko na umabot sa ganyan ang sitwasyon.”
Earlier, lawmakers at the House of Representatives and Ako Bicol Party-list were able to raise P30 million as a reward to capture Batocabe’s killers. President Rodrigo Duterte added P20 million to the bounty, bringing the total reward money to P50 million. (SunStar Philippines)