Daraga mayor back in PNP’s Legazpi jail
Credit to Author: RHAYDZ B. BARCIA, TMT| Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2019 17:55:15 +0000
LEGAZPI CITY: Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo was brought back to the Legazpi City detention cell on Monday night by officials of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) after almost two weeks of confinement at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Hospital here for asthma attack and hypertension.
Lawyer Merito Lovenzky Fernandez, head of Baldo’s legal team, said his client opted to leave the hospital despite his medical condition after a high-ranking official ordered the transfer of Baldo to the Philippine National Police (PNP) hospital in Camp Crame in Quezon City.
“There was no order of discharge from his physician this morning, but the information I’ve got is that the CIDG wants Mayor Baldo to be put behind bars at Legazpi City jail. Mayor Baldo was told to choose if he wants to go back to Legazpi City jail or to bring him to Camp Crame,” Fernandez said.
He opposed the move for fear of the mayor’s safety and security during the transit to Manila.
Fernandez did not identify the higher official who ordered the transfer of Baldo to Manila.
Baldo was discharged from the UST Legazpi Hospital at past 7 p.m. and transported to the PNP’s Legazpi City headquarters by a hospital ambulance.
He has been confined at the hospital since January 22, a few hours after his arrest for allegedly masterminding the assassination of AKO party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe in December last year.
From the UST Hospital, Baldo’s family and a few supporters accompanied him to the Legazpi jail.
He was locked up at past 9 p.m. after a briefing with PNP personnel and a meeting with his family and legal team inside the police headquarters here.
Prior to Baldo’s discharge, Senior Supt. Arnold Ardiente, CIDG Bicol director, admitted to reporters that he told Baldo early morning that he would be transferred to the PNP’s Camp Crame hospital.
“He is under our custody so supposedly he must be in our PNP hospital. But since the attending physician issued a discharge order, meaning he is safe to [be brought] back to jail,” Ardiente said as he clarified that they did not compel Baldo’s attending physician to issue the order.
Baldo was arrested by the CIDG on January 22, after police recovered from his residence in Barangay Tagas, Daraga town, two caliber .45 pistols with 8 live ammunition, one live ammunition for M16 and one grenade launcher ammunition, all of which were unlicensed.
The police also confiscated Baldo’s white Isuzu Alterra, which was the subject of the arrest warrant signed by Legazpi City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Elmer Lanuzo.
Baldo would have been the opponent of Batocabe in the May 13 midterm elections with his running mate Acting Mayor Victor Perete.
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