Napolcom revokes Mayor Baldo's authority over local police

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has revoked the authority of Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo over the local police effective Monday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday.

“Yes, his deputation authority has been removed since yesterday,” Año, also Napolcom chairman, said in a text message to GMA News Online.

This was likewise confirmed by Napolcom vice chairman Rogelio Casurao. “Yes, Napolcom has revoked his authority over the PNP,” he said in a separate text message.

The police has tagged Baldo as the mastermind in the killing of AKO Bicol party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe and his police aid SPO2 Orlando Diaz after a gift giving activity for senior citizens and persons with disabilities in Daraga two days before Christmas.

The Napolcom en banc issued Resolution No. 2019-014, dated January 7, 2019, which approved the withdrawal of the deputation of Baldo as Napolcom representative and suspension of police power.

Casurao said Baldo committed three of the four grounds for the withdrawal of the Napolcom deputation of local chief executives (LCEs), which were abuse of authority, providing material support to criminal elements, and engaging in acts inimical to national security or which negate the effectiveness of the peace and order campaign. 

He said Baldo committed abuse of authority for the employment of confidential staff under fictitious names, which is a blatant disregard of existing rules and regulations.

He added that the mayor’s alleged act of utilizing a private armed group in contract killing as a gun-for-hire syndicate is clearly an act of providing material support to criminal elements, with the same likewise constituting engagement in an act which negates the effectiveness of the peace and order campaign.

He said the removal of the deputation power of Baldo was approved pursuant to the provisions of Section 65 of Republic Act 8551 (PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998) and Napolcom Memorandum Circular No. 99-010, as amended by MC 2001-003, which prescribes the guidelines in the exercise of delegated powers of local chief executives over the local police units as Napolcom deputies, and the procedures on the suspension/withdrawal and restoration of such deputation.

“The NAPOLCOM also ordered the suspension of the duties, obligations, powers and prerogatives vested upon Mayor Baldo as deputized Napolcom representative,” Casurao said.

The police has filed double murder and six counts of frustrated murder charges against Baldo and his alleged conspirators Henry Yuson, Jaywin Babor, Christopher Cabrera Naval alias Tuping, Danilo Muella alias Manoy Dan, Rolando Aromado alias RR, and Emmanuel Rosello alias Boboy.

Yuson, the alleged gunman, had likewise pointed to Baldo as the mastermind.

“Gusto ko po mag-sorry sa pamilya ng Batocabe po. Napag utusan lang, nabarayan lang na ipapatay si Congressman Rodel Batocabe ni Mayor Baldo,” he said in a press conference last week.

Baldo has denied the allegations, saying he is being used as a scapegoat while those responsible for the crime remain free.

"Malinis ang aking konsensiya sa anumang pagkakasala. Patuloy akong nakikiramay sa pamilya nina Batocabe at Diaz, at gusto ko ri malaman [kung] sino tunay na may kagagawan ng krimen," he had said. —KBK, GMA News