Cops recover parts of gun used in Batocabe slay

Police recovered on Thursday afternoon parts of the firearm allegedly used in the murder of Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his police escort SPO2 Orlando Diaz.

Sr. Supt. Arnold Ardiente, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the Bicol region, told INQUIRER.net that components of the caliber .45 allegedly used by back-up gunman Rolando Arimado were extracted from a septic tank in Barangay Sto. Niño, Pili, Camarines Sur.

Police salvaged a slide, a barrel, two magazines, stabilizer, slide stop, barrel bussing, stabilizer guide, 34 bullets, and three empty cartridges from the septic tank in Emmanuel Rosello’s backyard in Barangay Sto. Niño.

Rosello, a former militiaman, was one of the six suspects in the murder of Batocabe and Diaz.

According to police, Arimado passed the gun to Rosello for disposal.

Batocabe and Diaz were gunned down while leaving a Christmas gift-giving event in Daraga, Albay last December 22. At the time of his death, Batocabe was a candidate for mayor of Daraga in the upcoming elections.

Ardiente said the gun will be part of physical evidence in the on-going investigation on the murder of Batocabe and Diaz.

“It will be turned over to the crime laboratory and if ever this will match the recovered slugs and cartridges in the crime scene, then this will justify that this was the gun used in the shooting incident,” Ardiente said. /ee/kga