By Charissa Luci-Atienza
"Where's the P22 million?”
This question cropped up Wednesday during the Philippine National Police (PNP) briefing on the disbursement of the P35-million bounty offered for the capture of suspects in the murder of former AKO Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe in December last year.
Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel
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Lawmakers cannot help but wonder where did the P20 million bounty, which came from the Officer of President, and the another P2 million from the province of Albay, go.
"I am more than convinced that we should conduct an inquiry kung saan napunta ang P20 million (where did the P20 million go) because it came from the Office of the President and it is taxpayers' money and we have every right to know where this went,” Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said after Brigadier General Joel Napoleon Coronel, acting director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), failed to answer how the P20-million bounty was spent.
Coronel said the PNP National Headquarters is “aware of the distribution of money to different personalities.”
He disclosed that the records of distribution and liquidation were submitted directly to the Office of the President.
“The money was released by the Office of the President to the National Headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the same was liquidated with the Office of President and the distribution has been submitted to the Office of the President,” the PNP official told the House panel, chaired by Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor.
Of the P35 million bounty, P20 million came from the Office of the President, P13 million from House of Representatives during the 17th Congress and another P2 million from the province of Albay.
“Ok lang P13 million kasi personal money ng House of Representatives, nag-ambag ambag kami. We are not answerable to the taxpayers, but the P20 million should be liquidated. We should know rather saan napunta ang P20 million at 'yung P 2 million that was remitted to the Provincial Director, and the person that should know this was former chief Oscar Albayalde," Pimentel said.
(P13 million was okay because it was a personal money of the House of Representatives, we shelled out our own money. We are not answerable to the taxpayers, but the P20 million should be liquidated. We should know rather where did the P20 million go and the P2 million that was remitted to the Provincial Director, and the person that should know this was former chief Oscar Albayalde)
During the briefing, Coronel confirmed that P6 million was given to prosecution witness, Emmanuel Judavar.
"There are seven other witnesses who were provided with reward,” he said.
Without mentioning the names of the witnesses, the PNP official said two witnesses received P2 million each, another two witnesses got P1 million each; another two witnesses were recipients of P250,000 each and the seventh witnesses received P 500,000, for a total of P7 million.
During the meeting, lawmakers agreed former PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde should attend the next meeting of the Defensor panel.
It was Pimentel who moved that the panel should issue a show cause order to compel Albayalde’s attendance. But, Deputy Speaker and Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal said it is still premature to issue such order on Albayalde.
During the panel meeting, Atty. Justin Batocabe, son of the late Rep. Batocabe, thanked the PNP "for their work” even as he expressed concern that three accused witnesses “flip-flopped towards the accused”. He said one of them was Christopher Naval, who was allegedly "given a certain amount,” recanted and sided with former Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo.
“There should be focus on the witnesses. Why they are allowed to flip-flop? Sana hindi napabayaan sa pagbabantay ang mga witnesses. (The witnesses should have been put under close watch),” he said.
Lawyer Joseph Orsos of the PNP Legal Division laments the “biased” decision of Judge Maria Theresa San Juan Loquillano of the Legazpi City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10 to grant Baldo' petition for bail.
"Reading the order granting bail, of course, we were very surprised. This should have been denied outright because we believe we have a very strong case, strong evidence,” he told the Defensor panel.
“But if you will read the order granting bail, maybe we are partial because we are the police, but I believe there is somehow bias in favor of the accused,” he pointed out.
In September this year, former Daraga mayor Carlwyn Baldo, the alleged mastermind in the killing of Batocabe, posted P8.72 million bail after Judge Maria Theresa San Juan Loquillano of the Legazpi City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10 granted his petition for bail.
Orsos said they have consulted “legal minds” who agreed with them that they have a very strong case.
“The court never mentioned about the extrajudicial confession as if we did not obtain confession from all the accused; as if this extrajudicial confession never existed,” Orsos said.
“That is why we urged the CIDG in Region 5 to make a move to recuse the presiding judge again to inhibit her. I have some information about that situation, but I think we cannot divulge it in public,” Orsos said.
The House panel went on an executive session to hear the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses—Judavar and Danilo Muella, who were present during the briefing. It was Quezon City Rep. Kit Belmonte who moved for an executive session.
Before the start of the hearing, Defensor said, “The reason for the committee hearing this morning is not to investigate the money, but basically to ensure that the Batocabe family will be given justice , that the case will be solved. That is just the call of this committee hearing and nothing else."
The briefing was prodded by Minority Leader Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr.’s filing of House Resolution 384, calling for a probe on the disbursement of the bounty intended for witnesses for the prosecution, in relation to Batocabe’s murder.
Under House Resolution 384, the House opposition leader cited the “disturbing information that several witnesses have not received their share in the bounty and are now in fear for lack of financial capacity to secure themselves and their families against bodily harm.”
Batocabe, who was running for mayor in the Daraga town, and his security escort, SPO1 Orlando Diaz were shot dead on December 22, 2018 at Brgy. Burgos, Daraga, Albay while attending a gift-giving for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).