The Department of Justice on Tuesday issued a lookout bulletin order against Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo and eight others implicated in the killing of Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe last Dec. 22.
Justice Undersecretary and spokesman Mark Perete said an LBO has been issued against Baldo and eight other suspects in the killing of Batocabe, namely: Emmanuel Rosillo, Jaywin Babor, Danilo Muella, Henry Yuzon, Gilbert Concepcion, Agaton Concepcion, Christopher Cabrera Naval, and Emmanuel Judavar.
According to Perete, the LBO was issued only for purposes of monitoring the possible flight of the personalities tagged by the police in the Batocabe slay case.
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Nonetheless, the Justice official admitted that the LBO cannot prevent Baldo or the others from leaving the country following the Supreme Court decision in August last year that voided the DOJ’s power to stop flight of criminal suspects through issuance of hold departure order or watchlist order.
“The LBO issued in this case conforms to the SC decision. As we earlier made clear, it is merely intended to monitor the entry and exit of its subject/s,” Perete said.
Under the new guidelines issued by the SC, the prosecutors would have to seek issuance of a precautionary hold departure order from a trial court to prevent the flight of personalities facing preliminary investigation of criminal charges.
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Once criminal cases are filed in court, only then can prosecutors seek issuance of actual HDO”•which prohibits the accused from leaving the country.
Police earlier filed charges of double murder and six counts of multiple frustrated murder charges against Baldo and six others.