Daraga mayor Baldo surrenders

LEGAZPI CITY — Daraga town mayor Carlwyn Baldo on Friday surrendered at the Legazpi City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

Police Regional Office 5 (Bicol) spokesperson, Maj. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, confirmed that Baldo, who was accompanied by his family and lawyer, appeared before RTC Branch 10 Judge Maria Theresa San Juan-Loquillano at about 8:30 a.m.

Calubaquib said the judge ordered Baldo to be detained at the Legazpi City jail pending his arraignment set on May 30.

Baldo had gone on hiding since Monday after Loquillano issued an arrest warrant for double murder and six counts of attempted murder over the killing of Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his police escort at a gift giving event in Barangay Burgos, an upland village in Daraga, on December 22 last year.

Loquillano was tasked to hear two separate cases against Baldo, the first case for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and the second for double murder and attempted murder together with six others.

As this developed, Vice Mayor Victor Perete is waiting for an order from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for him to assume as acting town mayor following Baldo’s surrender.

Citing the rule of succession pursuant to the Local Government Code, DILG-5 director, Anthony Nurda, said Perete, being the vice mayor, would have to take over the post to avoid any “vacuum or hiatus” in the town’s local government operations.

Aside from Baldo and Perete, running for the town’s mayoral post is Batocabe’s widow Gertrudes.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) assured there will be no special treatment for Baldo.

“After the booking process, he will be put in the jail’s reception and diagnostic center of the Legazpi City Jail Annex. This is the area where newly-committed PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) undergo orientation of the rules and regulations of the facility. Mayor Baldo will be treated as an ordinary PDL. (The) Legazpi City Jail has 324 PDLs, as of this time,” BJMP spokesperson, Chief Insp. Xavier Solda, said in a statement.