Baldo still a Lakas-CMD candidate, Comelec says

DARAGA Mayor Carlwyn Baldo remains a candidate of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (LakasCMD) despite the party’s decision to cut ties with the Bicol local official tagged by the police as the mastermind behind the assassination of Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his security aide, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Monday.

At a news conference, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez clarified that the Lakas-CMD Certificate of Nomination and Candidacy (Cona) it issued to Baldo still stands until the local official agrees with the decision.

“Withdrawal of the Cona must be with the consent. So we have to get his take on this,” Jimenez said.

If both parties fail to agree on the matter, he said, it will be Comelec, which will ultimately decide on it.

“If it becomes a tussle between Baldo and the party, it will be resolved in a different way,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez noted they have observed similar scenarios in the past in the national and local level, but it did not escalate as in the case of Baldo.

On Sunday Lakas-CMD issued a statement announcing it is withdrawing its endorsement of Baldo as its official candidate in the 2019 mayoralty race in Daraga.

This after the Philippine National Police (PNP) filed a case against Baldo for supposedly being the mastermind behind the killing of Batocabe.

The Comelec received the letter of Lakas-CMD on January 3, but it has yet to receive any reply from Baldo accepting the revocation.