11 spent shells, slugs match Yuson’s gun – PNP
Batocabe assassination
The noose further tightened on Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo after spent shells and slugs recovered at the crime scene matched the weapon used by his trusted aide, Henry Yuson in killing Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his police escort last December 22.
Director General Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the result of the ballistic examination proves that the extrajudicial confessions of the six suspects in custody, particularly Yuson, are true.
“One development that will further boost our case is that the licensed firearm of Yuson matched with the 11 spent shells and five slugs recovered,” Albayalde revealed in a press briefing at Camp Crame.
All six suspects reportedly admitted their participation to kill Batocabe and pointed to Mayor Baldo as the mastermind who allegedly offered them P5 million for the hit.
With this development, House colleagues of Batocabe urged Mayor Baldo to surrender and face the law.
“If he (Baldo) is really innocent like he says he is, he should surrender,” Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel said.
“He should surrender so he could air his side, because all [pieces] of evidence and testimonies of the suspects are pointing to him as the mastermind,” Pimentel added.
Quezon City 2nd district Rep. Winston Castelo said Baldo should “voluntarily surrender and subject himself to the law.”
Witness Emmanuel Judavar was the first to confess about the August 2018 plot to kill Batocabe after the latter declared his interest to run for mayor in the midterm elections in May. Judavar reportedly backed out after a falling out with Baldo.
The fear of being the next target for knowing about the Batocabe slay plot reportedly drove Judavar to spill the beans on those involved. With their names revealed, the suspects surrendered one by one.
The confessions of the six that they were not paid as promised for the Batocabe hit are sufficient to pin down the Daraga mayor, according to Albayalde. And the ballistic exam results tightened their case.
There were two firearms used in the Batocabe twin slay – a .40 caliber pistol and a .45 pistol.
Yuzon claimed he used his .40 caliber pistol in the killing. The other firearm is believed to have been used by the back-up gunman, Rolando Arimado.
“We will submit these findings to the court. We certainly have an airtight case against the Mayor and the rest of the suspects,” said Albayalde.
Who gets the R50M reward?
A panel composed of contributors to the R50 million reward for the solution of the Batocabe-Diaz twin-slay will have to be formed to decide the criteria in giving out the unprecedented bounty.
Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Alfredo Garbin said the committee will decide who should get the cash reward and when the reward should be turned over to the deserving informant.
Ako Bicol was the first to offer a R15 million bounty to informants who could lead police investigators to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the gunmen, the mastermind and the cohorts.
The provincial government of Albay headed by Gov. Al Francis Bichara offered R2 million while a fund drive launched by Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez raised R30 million. When President Duterte visited Batocabe’s wake he pledged R20 million more.
Albayalde said they would recommend Judavar who helped a lot in providing information that confirmed the political angle being pursued then by the investigators.
“If they would ask for recommendation, of course it is the witness (Judavar),” Albayalde told the Manila Bulletin when asked who would likely get the R50 million reward.(with a report from Ben Rosario)