Duterte: Batocabe slay case solved in record time

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday lauded the Philippine National Police's handling of its investigation of the killing of Ako Bicol party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe.

"It was solved in record time," Duterte said in a speech during the annual assembly of the Provincial Union of Leaders Against Illegalities in Lucena City.

Batocabe was killed by unidentified gunmen following a gift-giving activity in Daraga town in Albay on December 23 last year as authorities immediately looked into political rivalry as potential motive.

Through the help of a witness, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on January 3 concluded that Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo was the mastermind in Batocabe's killing.

The late lawmaker was supposed to square off with Baldo and Vice Mayor Victor Perete in this year's mayoral election.

The PNP accused Baldo of hiring six people to kill Batocabe to the tune of P5 million, and that the mayor initially paid the hit squad P250,000 to buy guns and getaway motorcycles.

Baldo and his six alleged conspirators are facing two complaints for murder and six raps for frustrated murder over the murder of Batocabe and his aide, police officer Orlando Diaz and the wounding of several others.

The mayor has denied all charges, saying he didn't order a hit on anyone. He said he was just being used as a scapegoat.

Some P50 million has been raised as bounty for anyone who can provide information that would lead to the arrest of the killers of Batocabe. Of this amount, P20 million was pledged by Duterte.

The rest of the amount was pledged by colleagues of Batocabe at the House of Representatives, the Ako Bicol party-list, and the provincial government of Albay. 

Last week, Batocabe's son, Justin, said the P20-million bounty has already been given to witness Emmanuel Judavar, an employee of the Daraga mayor.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said Judavar was initially involved in the Batocabe hit, originally scheduled for August 2018, but he eventually backed out after some disagreements with the mayor.

Duterte, meanwhile, urged congressmen to make good on their promise to give reward money.

"Sa awa ng Diyos sir ako lang ang nag-deliver ng P20 [million] ko, ang congress medyo wala pa. Iniimprenta pa raw ang pera," the President quipped as House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez, who was in the event, smiled. "Ako paghuli bigay kaagad. Binigay ko."

"Sabihin mo [Suarez] sa kanila magbigay. Kasi promise yun ninyo eh. I don't know who made the commitment actually," Duterte said. 

Justin Batocabe said the remaining P30 million will be sent out in tranches as the murder case moves along. —NB, GMA News