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Friday, March 29, 2024

Arroyo says Batocabe ‘confronted evil’

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Speaker Gloria Arroyo on Monday said the late Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe of Ako-Bicol confronted the evil in his town of Daraga, Albay, and lost his life.

In her eulogy during a memorial for Batocabe at the House of Representatives, Arroyo called Batocabe the “Daring Daragueño” who, in the safer halls of Congress, “was also daring in the advocacies that he pursued. He manifested his fearlessness in the vigor by which he pursued his ideas and convictions.”

“Close to his heart were matters of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal of which he was a member. That [HRET] was [the subject of] our last conversation. We had a spirited discussion about the work of the HRET and just as he discusses in public, so in private he was very convincing on what he wanted to convey and sure enough in all those things we talked about, we adopted whatever he suggested because he was so persuasive,” Arroyo said.

She added that Batocabe, “aside from being bubbly, aside from being daring, was hardworking and left a legacy of 34 laws with national coverage.”

A necrological service attended by Batocabe’s family was held at the plenary Monday where a requiem mass was offered for the repose of the lawmaker’s soul.

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Former 1-Care party-list Rep. Michael Angelo Rivera recalled an incident where Batocabe was made to pay for the bill that supposedly his treat after leaving an expired credit card.

“Ayaw po niyang kumain sa mumurahing restaurant, ang sabi niya sa akin dadalhin kita sa restaurant na mamahaling at ikaw ang magbabayad kasi nailusot naman natin ito (Republic Act (RA) 10150). Ang sabi ko sige walang problema pare, pero nagyaya pa po siya ng aming mga kasamang congressman dahil ako daw po ang maglilibre,” said Rivera.

“After five minutes po tumatawag na, loko-loko ka talaga expired ‘yung credit card mo bayaran mo ito sakin sa Monday,” said Rivera. “(Sabi niya) kahit po pala isang abogado sabi niya nagugulangan ng mga Batangueno.”

Deputy Speaker and AAMBIS-OWA party-list Rep. Sharon Garin said Batocabe was her “partner in crime” as she called on her colleagues to continue the late congressman’s work to honor his achievements.

“It is justice for Rodel if we support his advocacies for Bicol — education, health, population development, human rights and climate change,” said Garin.

Justice Vicente V. Mendoza described Batocabe, his former student, as “a good man” and a “faithful public servant.”

Lawyer Justin Batocabe, eldest son of the late congressman, responded to the eulogies, vowing that they “will make sure that his dreams for a prosperous Daraga and a progressive Bicol region become a reality.”

“We will not allow the injustice of indolent leadership. Together, we shall honor his memory by continuing his good deeds of public service,” said Justin who accompanied his mother, Girtie and his brother, Khiel at the House of Representatives where the Legislative Memorabilia was offered for his father.

The PNP Band played “In Memoriam” By Buenaventura and “Nearer, My God, to Thee” by Lowell Mason while Mr. Gene Lopez sang “What a Wonderful World” by George Weiss and Robert Thiele and “Imagine” by John Winston Lennon during the necrological service.

Batocabe, a mayoralty candidate in Dagara town in Albay, and his police escort, SPO1 Orlando Diaz, were killed last December 22 while they were leaving a gift-giving event in Brgy. Burgos in Daraga.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) filed double murder and frustrated murder charges against Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo and his alleged cohorts in Albay for the murder of Batocabe and Diaz.

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