Daraga Mayor Baldo rushed to hospital hours after arrest

Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo, the main suspect in the killing of AKO Bicol party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe and his police escort last December, was rushed to the hospital Tuesday night, hours after he was arrested.

Citing Senior Superintendent Arnold Ardiente of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Bicol, dzBB's Jonathan Andal reported on Dobol B sa News TV on Wednesday that Baldo was brought to UST Hospital in Legazpi City past 11 p.m.

Baldo's blood pressure reportedly shot up and he was experiencing hyperventilation while in detention.

Baldo, who denied involvement in the killing of Batocabe, was arrested at his residence in Barangay Tagas for alleged possession of illegal firearms.

Authorities discovered illegal firearms in Baldo's residence while serving a search warrant issued by Executive Judge Elmer Lanuzo of the Legazpi Regional Trial Court.

Confiscated from him were two cal-45 pistols, one of them loaded; a magazine for an Uzi machine pistol loaded with ammunition; an ammunition for a grenade launcher; eight live ammos for a cal-45; and a live ammo for an M16 rifle.

Also recovered was a white Isuzu Alterra with plate number BCW 941.

Batocabe, along with his police escort Senior Police Officer 1 Orlando Diaz, was shot dead on December 22 while he was about to ride his vehicle from a gift-giving event at a covered court at Barangay Burgos in Daraga.

The police have already filed murder and frustrated murder charges against Baldo in connection with the killings, and the wounding of seven others last December.

The Office of Provincial Prosecutor of Albay has formally asked Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo to answer the charges filed against him.

Before Baldo's arrest, the six other suspects in the murder have already been placed under police custody.

The Department of Justice has earlier ordered immigration authorities to monitor any attempts by the alleged mastermind and suspects in the murder to leave the country. —KBK, GMA News