Kalinga governor faces probe

Kalinga Governor Jocel Baac, who is facing a probe for assaulting a radio broadcaster in Tabuk City, could find himself in deeper trouble after the interior department indicated it might also investigate his alleged connections to the “jueteng” illegal numbers game in the province.

Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said he might order a separate investigation into the governor’s alleged jueteng connections, which were the subject of commentaries of dzRK anchor Jerome Tabanganay before Tuesday’s attack.

“If it is part of the complaint [it will be investigated.] But probably we will conduct a separate investigation,” Robredo said in a text message.

But he said there has been “no report, complaint, evidence” yet linking the governor to jueteng.

Robredo earlier ordered the Philippine National Police to investigate the assault on Tabanganay by Baac and his bodyguards inside the former’s radio booth in Tabuk City, Kalinga.

Robredo said the probe should determine if the attack against Tabanganay “was prompted by the latter’s frequent attacks on the governor’s alleged involvement in jueteng and illegal logging operations in the province.”

Tabanganay was hosting his noontime show “Agenda Part 2” when Baac, accompanied by five aides, barged into his booth, grabbed a microphone and slammed it on a table, took a second microphone and hit him on the face.

The assault was caught on video by a computer camera that was streaming the radio broadcast online.

Reports indicated that on May 24, some unidentified men had tried to burn the dzRK establishment, prompting local police to secure the area.

Robredo had ordered the police to submit to his office the results of its findings and recommendations against Baac and his bodyguards within 72 hours. DJ Yap