Visayan lawmakers offer P3-M reward for capture of Batocabe killers

Rep. Rodel Batocabe (Photo from his Facebook account)

BACOLOD CITY – The Visayan bloc at the House of Representatives is offering a P3-million reward money for information leading to the capture of the gunman who shot and killed Rep. Rodel Batocabe of Ako Bicol Partylist.

Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano of the partylist group Abang Lingkod said Rep. Albee Benitez of Negros Occidental’s 3rd district had already secured the commitment of more than 100 congressmen to put up a reward money for the speedy capture of the perpetrators of this dastardly crime.

“So far, we have raised P3 million for this reward money and we are hoping that people would start cooperating with the police conducting the investigation,” he added.

“We, in the Visayans bloc and the other members of the House, will be vigilant and will make sure that the investigation on the case would be impartial,” he added.

Paduano said the Visayan bloc strongly condemned the killing of Batocabe whom he described as one of the most hardworking members in the House.

“I see no reason why somebody would even want to hurt Batocabe except those who are willing to do anything and everything to stop Batocabe from giving the people of Bicol the kind of public that they deserve. Takot sila sa pagbabago. Ayaw nilang matalo (They are scared of the change. They are scared to lose),” Paduano said.

“We, in the Visayan bloc, headed by Congressman Albee Benitez vow to use everything in our power to see that justice is served for Representative Batocabe and his loved ones,” he added./lb