Batocabe murder crime scene | Photo courtesy of Daraga MPS
ALBAY, Philippines – One of survivors in the murder of Ako Bicol Party list Rep. Rodel Batocabe shared her horrifying experience the day the crime happened.
‘Catring’ said she only aimed at receiving a basket of grocery from the gift-giving event at a covered court in Burgos Elementary School last Saturday (December 22) organized by Congressman Batocabe.
She did not expect something terrible would happen to her in exchange for a basket of goods.
Catring sustained two gunshot wounds on the chest as a result of the shooting.
“Pagkakuha ko ng grocery na binigay, pauwi na ko sa may waiting shed. Biglang may pumutok. Dumapa ako. Pagdapa ko, nakapa ko iyong dibdib ko, ang daming dugo. Noong marinig ko na wala nang putok takbo ako sa kapatid ko kasi nasa harapan na ng school iyong mga kapatid ko,” she recalled.
She heard multiple gunshots while the venue was in chaos.
“Hindi ko na napansin kung sino iyong nadaanan ko. Basta ako tumakbo na. Nakita ko iyong mga tao na nagtatakbuhan din,” she said.
Two of her kin immediately rushed her to the hospital where she passed out.
Catring couldn’t stop crying every time she recalls the tragedy.
“Sana naman maisip naman nila na maraming madadamay. Lahat kami matatanda na. Maawa naman siya,” she said in tears as she appealed to the suspects.
Punong Barangay Pilar Llanera said there was no prior advice that Rep. Batocabe would hold gift-giving activities in the weekend for senior citizens in five barangays of Daraga.
Also. there was no prior coordination for the security in the gift-giving area.
“Kung alam ko po na pupunta sila, magpapa-assist ako sa mga tanod ko. Ipapaalam ko sila na pupunta dito. Wala po silang (advise) kasi kaya po wala pong tanod doon,” she said.
Because of the incident, Daraga Mayor Carlwin Baldo plans to intensify surveillance around the municipality by installing additional close circuit television camera (CCTV) in all barangays.
“Next year meron po kaming budget sa CCTV sa mga urban barangays, malagyan ng CCTVs para makatulong kung sakaling may mangyari, sa investigation. Secondly iyong programa po namin sa bawat barangay na pag-link or corroboration ng bawat ahensya para kung may mangyari mas madali,” the incumbent mayor concluded. – Marje Pelayo (with reports from Mai Bermudez)
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