MANILA, Philippines – The family of slain AKO Bicol Representative Rodel Batocabe is still eyeing the mayoralty of Daraga, Albay in 2019.

This was revealed by the lawmaker’s son, Justin, in a press conference on Monday, December 24.

“Sa padayon po ng aming pamilya at ng aming butihing probinsya at partido, ipagpapatuloy po namin ang mga mabuting nagawa ng aking ama. Ipapatuloy po natin ang kaniyang mga adhikain para sa Daraga. Ipapatuloy po natin ang kaniyang mga adhikain para sa Bicol,” the son said.

(For our family, province and party, we will continue the good deeds of our father. We will continue his advocacy for Daraga. We will continue his advocacies for Bicol.)

Asked if this means a family member will run for mayor, Justin said: “That is not finalized as of the moment but there will be a Batocabe who will run for mayor for Daraga.”

He said he could not provide a time frame yet as the family “will think hard and well” about his father’s replacement. Candidate substitution is allowed until the noon of May 13 or election day, provided that the replacement has the same family name.

Batocabe, who was running for mayor, was shot dead on Saturday, December 22, while at a gift-giving event in the town.

His family and some legislators blamed politics for the death of Batocabe. He was supposed to run against incumbent Mayor Carlwyn Baldo of Lakas-CMD and Victor Perete of PDP-Laban.

Lawmakers and the local government have already offered a multimillion-peso reward for information that would lead to the mastermind and suspects. – Rappler.com