Gunman owns up to Batocabe slay

A man who confessed to shooting Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his police escort SPO1 Orlando Diaz and the driver of a getaway motorcycle surrendered to the police Friday, one day after a key witness tagged Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo as the mastermind of the murder.

Philippine National Police spokesman, Chief Supt Benigno Durana identified Batocabe’s killer as Henry Guanzon Yuson, a former New People’s Army rebel and the driver of the getaway motorcycle as Jaywin Babor, an ex-Army man.

Yuson executed an affidavit assisted by a Public Attorney Office lawyer, detailing his personal knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the murders.

Yuson claimed to be the gunman who shot Batocabe and Diaz allegedly with a cal. 40 pistol.

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“With the gunman in custody, we now have an airtight case that we will present in court to ensure successful prosecution of all accused,” said PNP chief Oscar Albayalde.

The surrender of Yuson and Babor brings to five the suspects in police custody and while two suspects—Danilo Muella and Rolando Arimado, remained the object of a police manhunt.

Albayalde presented Yuson in a press briefing in Legaspi City, where the self-confessed killer apologized to the congressman’s family.

“I want to apologize to the Batocabe family,” Yuson, with tears in his eyes, said in Filipino. “I was just a hired gun. Mayor Baldo paid us to kill congressman Rodel Batocabe.”

In his confession, Yuson disclosed that Mayor Baldo wanted to permanently remain mayor of Daraga, and promised the killers a sustained livelihood and salaries to do the job.

Baldo allegedly promised the hit team P5 million for killing Batocabe, but Yuson said he did not receive a single centavo.

Yuson said he dismantled the gun he used and threw it into the river right after the murder.

“The arrest of the main gunman… will further tighten the noose around the necks of the suspects,” Albayalde said. “We will not rest until all of them are thrown to rot in jail to the rest of their lives.”

Albay police arrested Yuson Thursday night on the strength of a warrant.

On Thursday, Christopher Naval alias Tuping, a trusted aide of Baldo, said the mayor had offered P5 million for the murder of Batocabe in September 2018.

Baldo has denied the allegations, but a discharged Army soldier, Emmanuel Bonita Judavar, came forward and told the police that the plan to kill Batocabe was hatched in August 2018, upon Batocabe announcement of his intention to run for Mayor in Daraga.

Albayalde said Judavar said he was part of the group involved in the initial planning but said he backed out when it came to execute the plan.

In the same briefing, Albayalde also said that the driver of the getaway motorcycle, Jaywin Babor, surrendered to the police and was in custody in Camp Crame.

He said Babor was the driver of the YSM motorcycle at the time of the killing of Batocabe and immediately went on hiding somewhere in Manila shortly thereafter.

Acting Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano said Baldo did not pay the P5 million because he was worried that withdrawing that large an amount would alert the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Cases of double murder and multiple frustrated homicide were filed in Albay against Baldo and six others.

Batocabe was supposed to run for mayor of Daraga in this year’s mid-term elections.

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday lauded policemen for the swift arrest of the alleged gunman and identification and filing of charges against the mastermind behind Batocabe’s murder.

“I would like to commend the PNP for solving the murder of our colleague, Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his police escort SPO1 Orlando Diaz.

“The House of Representatives deeply appreciates the dedication and hard work our police force have put in to go after the perpetrators of the despicable act in such a short time.

The House of Representatives also appreciates the bravery and loyalty of those in their ranks who are called upon to perform vital escort and security functions, often at the risk of their lives,” Arroyo said in a statement.

Arroyo expressed hope that justice is served to the family of Batocabe and Diaz.

“Now that the mastermind and all his co-conspirators have been identified, our law enforcement agencies must ensure that they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. There should be no let up and stone left unturned until justice is served,” Arroyo said.

“Again my congratulations to the PNP for a job well done.”

Peace advocates, meanwhile, asked Congress and the PNP to focus on other unresolved political killings, particularly in La Union province, following the quick resolution of Batocabe’s murder.

The Crusaders for Peace congratulated the PNP for quickly resolving the assassination of Batocabe, saying this enhanced the credibility of the PNP under the leadership of Albayalde. With Maricel V. Cruz and PNA

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