The Philippine National Police (PNP) will try to block the impending release of former Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo who is set to be freed after a local court allowed him to post bail in connection with the death of Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Rodel Batocabe.
PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said they will be asking for the assistance of the Office of the Solicitor General for any possible legal remedies to prevent Baldo from posting bail.
Baldo was tagged as the mastermind behind the killing of Batocabe and his police escort in December last year, or months before the 2019 midterm elections.
Based on the testimonies of those who carried out the killings after their arrest, Baldo allegedly ordered the killing of Batocabe after the latter declared that he would run for mayor of Daraga town.
Baldo was planning then to seek the mayoralty post of the town.
The arrested suspects squealed what they know after Baldo allegedly duped them by not paying the agreed assassination contract.
“I’m sure there will be legal remedies here. We will exhaust all legal remedies here,” said Albayalde, who admitted that the PNP is bound to respect court orders.
The judge handling the case, Judge Maria Theresa San Juan- Loquillano if Regional Trial Court Branch 10, allowed Baldo to post bail after the prosecution failed to establish strong pieces of evidence that would deny the motion of Baldo to be frees via bail.
It was the PNP’s Criminal Investigation Detection Group (CIDG) which prepared the case against Baldo, the same police unit which filed a case of sedition against Vice President Leni Robredo and bishops, and kidnapping with serious illegal detention against former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.
“If they think na medyo hindi strong yung ebidensya that warrants for his bail then we will respect the decision of the court,” said Albayalde. (Aaron Recuenco)
