Bataoil to PD Chan: Why were you with Lokim?

Congressman Bataoil

Police Colonel Chan

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN – Second District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil said Acting Provincial Police Director Marlou Chan should explain why he was seen with his congressional rival Maria Blanca Kim Lokim when she accompanied the complainant who filed recently a kidnapping and vote-buying charges against Bataoil at the Prosecutor’s Office. “I was told that he was congratulating Lokim for whatever (reason) I do not know. But of course that was to be clarified by the PD himself. Accordingly some quarters overheard him congratulating madam Lokim for whatever purpose. I do not know mahirap mag validate,” he said.
 Sr. Supt. Chan denied he accompanied the Liberal Party’s congressional bet Lokim. He explained it was only a coincidence that he met Bataoil’s rival at the prosecutor’s office when they were seen by the media.
 Chan said Oliver Ortega, the complainant, and his relatives dropped by at his office at Police Provincial Office here because they told him they were apprehensive because one of the respondents in the case of kidnapping and vote buying to be filed at the provincial prosecutor’s office here was Bataoil, a former police general. “It is just proper that the police and the community like the complainant work hand and hand in searching for the solution of the case,” Chan explained.
 Chan said he did not congratulate Lokim but Ortega for his courage to file a case.
 Bataoil , his brother Ramon, a re-electionist councilor here, and some of their supporters allegedly apprehended and detained Ortega for an hour at the house of Ramon in Brgy. Libsong East here. Ortega, according to news account got the ire of Ramon and his supporters after he took photo of them distributing dole-outs in the name of the congressman, a violation called vote buying under the Omnibus Election Code, to the people in Barangay Libsong.
The complainant said the councilor threatened to kill him unless he surrenders the camera. Bataoil said during the incident at the house of his brother he was campaigning in Mangatarem. “What is important is we deny completely the allegation that there was alleged illegal detention and threat. We will answer those allegations in a proper forum,” he stressed.