IT was a story, his version of the truth, worth P50 million.
And a few days from now, Emmanuel Judavar could be an instant millionaire as he would be recommended to receive the multi-million bounty as his testimony led to the solution of the controversial assassination of AKO Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe.
Director General Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said Judavar deserved to get all the reward money since his story led to the arrest of six former soldiers, rebels and militiamen and the identification of Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo as the mastermind.
“Actually he was the first one to become witness so he deserves to get a reward. I do not know if he would get all the reward but he deserves it because everything started from his testimony,” said Albayalde.
Albayalde said that no less than Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano has given assurance that the reward, at least the P20 million coming from President Duterte, would be released.
The rest of the P30 million, it was recalled, was raised by Batocabe’s colleagues in the House of Representatives and the Provincial Government of Albay.
Batocabe and his police escort, SPO2 Orlando Diaz, were gunned down during the distribution of noche Buena items for the senior citizens and persons with disabilities in Daraga town on December 22.
It was Judavar who told the police that the assassination plot was hatched as early as August last year after Batocabe declared his intention to run for mayor of Daraga.
But Judavar had backed out after sometime in September last year a falling out with Mayor Baldo, leaving the six confidential security aides of the mayor to pull off the killing for a hefty price.
It was learned that Mayor Baldo turned down a financial request from Judavar. Judavar, in turn, took a gun issued from him.
Afraid that he would be next after Batocabe was killed, Judavar spilled the beans and started naming names when police investigators tried their luck on him while pursuing the political angle motive. The other angle was the involvement of communist rebels.
Judavar’s revelations resulted in the surrender and arrest of all the six suspects who carried out the killing, including the main gunman Henry Yuson, who voluntarily gave extra-judicial confession after he felt double-crossed when Mayor Baldo failed to give the rest of the P4.75 million as payment.
The rest of the five suspects also pinned down Mayor Baldo.
Cases of two counts of murder were already slapped against Mayor Baldo, Yuson and the rest of the suspects identified as Rolando Arimado alias RR; Emmanuel Rosello alias Boboy; Jaywin Babor alias Jie; Christopher Cabrera Naval, alias Tuping; and Danilo Muella, alias Manoy Dan. (Aaron Recuenco)
