DARAGA mayor Carlwyn Baldo was rushed to the hospital several hours after his arrest on Tuesday, January 22, due to breathing difficulty and hypertension, a police official said Wednesday.
Senior Superintendent Arnold Ardiente, Bicol Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief, said Baldo was brought to the UST Hospital in Legazpi City around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
He said Baldo had an asthma attack, his blood pressure shot up and he hyperventilated while inside the detention cell.
Ardiente said Baldo did not disclose any medical history prior to being placed inside the cell.
Baldo, the alleged mastermind in the killing of Ako Bicol party-list representative Rodel Batocabe, was arrested Tuesday afternoon for alleged illegal possession of firearms.
Batocabe, who was challenging Baldo in the 2019 midterm elections, and his security aide Senior Police Officer 4 Orlando Diaz were shot dead on December 22 after a gift giving activity in Daraga.
CIDG Bicol operatives served a search warrant at the Baldo residence on Tuesday. Recovered during the operation were two caliber 45 pistols, one of them loaded; a magazine for an Uzi machine pistol loaded with ammunition; an ammunition for a grenade launcher; eight live ammunition for a caliber 45; and a live ammunition for an M16 rifle.
Also recovered was a white Isuzu Alterra with plate number BCW 941.
Six suspects who surrendered to the authorities and admitted taking part in the assassination of Batocabe had tagged Baldo as the mastermind.
CIDG Director Amador Corpus said authorities applied for a search warrant against Baldo after Daniel Muella, one of the six suspects, revealed that they used the mayor’s vehicle, an Isuzu Alterra, as a getaway vehicle. Muella also alleged that he was ordered by the mayor to bury some firearms within his compound.
The suspects and Baldo were charged with murder and multiple frustrated murder after several other people were also wounded in the gun attack.
Baldo earlier denied involvement on the killing. (SunStar Philippines)