Former President now House Speaker Gloria M. Arroyo on Monday led the House of Representatives in honoring and commemorating the life of assassinated Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe in a memorial service at the Batasang Pambansa plenary hall in Quezon City.
There was clearly a quorum during the three hour emotion-filled event as House members and close friends of the late lawmaker extolled his accomplishments as a legislator, as a civilian, and as a family man.
Batocabe and his security escort, SPO1 Orlando Diaz, were killed in an ambush staged by at least seven men after the victims attended a gift-giving event for senior citizens and persons with disabilities in Daraga, Albay three days before Christmas Day .
Police have considered the crime as solved following the arrest of the seven suspects and the filing of criminal charges against them and the alleged mastermind, Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo.
“The Daragueno who dared. He dared to confront the evil in Daraga at the cost of his life,” declared Arroyo.
Former Supreme Court Justice Vicente V. Mendoza; lawyer John Reyes, and former 1Care partylist Rep. Michael Angelo Rivera spoke about Batocabe as a friend and a colleague in the legal profession.
House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez (Lakas-CMD, Quezon) and House Deputy Speaker Sharon S. Garin (AAMBIS OWA party-list) and Arroyo recalled Batocabe as among the most hardworking and dedicated members of the House.
“Aside from being bubbly, aside from being daring, our eulogists have also talked about how hardworking he was. He left a legacy of 34 laws with national coverage,” said Arroyo.
Batocabe was a member of the House contingent in the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal and used to chair the House Committee on Climate Change.
The slain solon was credited as among the authors of the anti-bullying law and the United Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education, which is among the education-related legislation passed by the House.
Mendoza said Republic Act No. 10174 which amends the Climate Change Act of 2009 was among Batocabe’s legislative accomplishments that made him proud to be the lawmaker’s friend. (Ben Rosario)
