Lakas-CMD drops nomination of mayor tagged in Batocabe slay

“Regretfully, Mayor Baldo has been nominated as the official candidate of Lakas-CMD for Mayor of Daraga, Albay. After deliberations, Lakas-CMD has decided to revoke the nomination of Mayor Baldo as the official candidate of the party,” Lakas-CMD said in a statement. (PNA Photo)

MANILA—The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), a major political party allied with the Duterte administration, on Sunday revoked its Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) and support for Mayor Carlwyn Baldo as the party’s official candidate in Daraga, Albay mayoralty race.

Lakas-CMD Executive Director Bautista Corpin, Jr. informed Commission on Elections (Comelec) Law Department Director Maria Norina T. Casingal about the decision withdrawing Baldo’s CONA.

“Please be informed that Lakas-CMD is revoking the CONA issued to Mr. Baldo. Hence, Mayor Baldo is no longer the official candidate of Lakas-CMD for the position of Mayor of Daraga,” Corpin told Casingal in his letter dated Jan. 3, 2019.

“Regretfully, Mayor Baldo has been nominated as the official candidate of Lakas-CMD for Mayor of Daraga, Albay. After deliberations, Lakas-CMD has decided to revoke the nomination of Mayor Baldo as the official candidate of the party,” Lakas-CMD said in a statement.

Copies of Corpin’s letter were also sent to the Provincial Election Supervisor and Municipal Election Officer of Albay and Daraga, respectively.

The decision was reached after the Philippine National Police (PNP) tagged Baldo as the alleged mastermind in the killings of AKO-Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his security aide, SPO1 Orlando Diaz, after emerging from a gift-giving event for senior citizens at Barangay Burgos in Daraga, Albay last December 22.

Lakas-CMD also reaffirmed its commitment to keep the May 13, 2019 mid-term elections honest, clean, accurate, meaningful and peaceful amid the expected intense rivalries of candidates.

The party stressed the right of Filipinos to choose their own leaders as the bedrock of democracy.

“Thus, Lakas-CMD strongly condemns the killings of AKO-Bicol party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe and his security aide. Violence in any form and for whatever reason has no place in our democratic institutions,” the Lakas-CMD said.

The PNP filed double murder and frustrated murder charges against Baldo and his alleged cohorts in Albay.