BY ASHZEL HACHERO, VICTOR REYES and JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR
COMPLAINTS for multiple murder and illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives were filed yesterday against three of the suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo last Saturday, the Department of Justice said yesterday.
President Marcos Jr., who described killing as “shocking” and terrifying,” directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the PNP to identify “political hot spots” in the country and dismantle private armies.
Degamo and eight other persons died after gunmen attacked his home in Pamplona town while he was meeting with his constituents.
Charged were Joven Javier, Joric Labrador and Benjie Rodriguez, said Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty in a joint press conference with Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos.
The three were arrested by joint police and military teams in Barangay Cansumalig in Bayawan City hours after after they barged inside Degamo’s residential compound in Pamplona town, where the governor was supervising the distribution of assistance to poor families and meeting with constituents.
Javier and Rodriguez are former Army soldiers who were dishonorably discharged from the service several years ago. Several high-powered rifles, a B-40 rocket launchers, ammunition and explosives were seized from them.
A fourth suspect died also on Saturday in a shootout with pursuing troops.
Another suspect, Osmundo Rivero, also a former Army soldier, was later arrested in pursuit operation in Bayawan City, police said.
Six to eight more suspects remain at large.
Ty said the complaints for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act and illegal possession of firearms and explosives under RA 9156 were filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Bayawan City while the multiple murder complaints, for inquest, were lodged before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Negros Oriental.
He said raps have also been filed for the injuries to 16 people in the brazen attack.
“This case has resulted in the filing of information against three of the respondents who were apprehended the other day. For the deaths and injuries that took place in Pamplona, inquest is pending before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor,” Ty said, adding a resolution is expected to be released Monday.
An inquest is done to determine whether an individual arrested without a court-issued warrant will be released on account of dismissal of charges, released for further preliminary investigation proceedings, or charged in court but they signed a waiver of detention and asked for the conduct of preliminary investigation.
Ty said the DOJ intends to take over complaints to be filed in relation to Degamo’s killing, instead of leaving these to the local prosecutor.
“Future cases are likely to be filed in relation to this case, and the Department of Justice central office here on Padre Faura (street in Manila) intends to take cognizance of these future cases,” Ty said.
He said the DOJ is working with the PNP and the DILG “for the transfer of the respondents who are currently detained at the National Capital Region for protective custody.”
WITNESSES
Ty said two witnesses have been referred to the Witness Protection Program (WPP) as investigation and a manhunt operations for the rest of the gunmen and the mastermind are intensifying.
“In line with our efforts to prevent further injustice to the innocent victims and their families and for their protection, two witnesses in the case have already been referred to the Witness Protection Program,” Ty said, without identifying them.
“The DOJ is ready to take on this case for further investigation and we assure the public that we will live up to this task,” Ty added.
DOJ Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano later said two of the suspects in Degamo’s killing and eight witnesses are willing to cooperate with the authorities to resolve the case.
He said the DOJ is evaluating two of the “respondents” as to whether they can be admitted to the WPP.
Clavano declined to identify who among the three suspects in custody have signified their intention to cooperate with the ongoing probe.
PURSUIT OPERATIONS
Negros Oriental authorities have sealed exit points of the province as part of efforts to arrest the suspects who are at large.
Army spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad said Javier and Rodriguez
were discharged from the service “for serious violation of the Articles of War such as involvement in illegal drugs, absence without official leave, and disorder and neglect to the prejudice of good order and military discipline.”
Abalos said hot pursuit operation are continuing against the remaining suspects.
“Again, we are not going to stop until they are all arrested. What’s important is to arrest the suspects and the mastermind. We are not going to stop until achieve justice for the victims,” said Abalos.
Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesman of a PNP special investigation task group (SITG) that was formed to solve the case, said, “We are still conducting relentless operations against the remaining suspects. Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP (personnel) have been scattered strategically in Negros Oriental to make sure that they will be able to get out. All ports are sealed, roadblocks were established already.”
Police initially said there were only around six gunmen but Perale said accounts of the arrested suspects, who are cooperating in the investigation, and video footage showed there were 10 to 12 suspects involved.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr, in a press briefing in Camp Crame, said the investigation has “uncovered promising leads from the evidence and testimonies that will establish circumstances surrounding the incident and the identification of key players in this multiple murder case.”
Azurin said the “significant developments” are “moving us closer to finding the participants and the mastermind.”
“We have leads pertaining to the mastermind which today we cannot yet divulge because of the ongoing follow-up (operations)… Joint PNP- AFP checkpoints are continuously being done all over the province to limit the movements of the remaining suspects and other criminal elements,” he said.
POLITICAL RIVALRY
Officials are silent as to the motive but Pelare said “all angles, motives are being looked into.”
“Intense political rivalry, personal grudges, personal relationships, even communist terrorist groups, these are all being considered by the task group in the conduct of the investigation,” he added.
Degamo assumed the post of Negros Oriental governor in October last year after winning an election protest against Pryde Henry Teves.
Asked if investigators are already aware of Degamo’s political opponents, Perale said, “All angles are being looked into and we will respectfully decline to give details because as we speak, our operatives are still on the ground conducting hot pursuit operations.”
Perale said it appears that the suspects were “imported” to Negros Oriental as they are from other provinces.
Degamo’s wife, Pamplona town Mayor Janice Degamo, implied the attack, which she called the “Pamplona massacre, was politically-motivated.
She said the “act of cowardice” was done by those who had difficulty winning in the election.
Without naming name, Janice said: “This man is very known around the country today.”
Azurin implied he is not amenable to declaring a state of emergency in Negros Oriental, as proposed by Sen. Imee Marcos.
“As of now, we do not recommend (it) because to us, it’s contained (in the province) and it’s (killing) not well-organized compared to the Maguindanao massacre,” said Azurin, referring to the 2009 Maguindanao massacre that led to the death of 57 people, leading to the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.
“We’ve arrested the people (involved) and the PNP and the AFP is capable of stabilizing the situation there,” added Azurin.
Azurin said additional personnel from the PNP Special Action Force are due to be deployed to Negros Oriental “to be part of the peacekeeping forces in Negros Oriental.”
PRIVATE ARMED GROUPS
The President, on identifying “political hot spots,” similar to what authorities do during elections, said, “Sabi ko gawin niyo ulit ngayon — well, don’t think of the election first. But think kung ano ‘yung mga hot spot na mainit na mga lugar at tingnan natin (I told them to do it again—don’t think of the election first – but think of what the hots pots are and we’ll see).”
The President said the government would deploy additional troops wherever is needed.
Marcos also said that authorities should immediately address the issue of private armed groups and the proliferation illegal of firearms.
“It was shocking. I couldn’t believe that this would still happen. Pinasok ba naman ang sarili niyang bahay. At tsaka when you see the video, talagang lahat — basta naharap sa kanila babarilin nila. Ilan ang pinatay nila, walang kinalaman sa kanilang gulo, kanilang away. So, yes. This one is particularly terrifying and really…This does not belong in our society (It was shocking. I couldn’t believe that this would still happen. They entered his house, and when you see the video, they shot those who saw them. How many of those they killed had nothing to do with their row. So, yes. This one is particularly terrifying and really…This does not belong in our society),” he said.
POLITICS-RELATED
Marcos said he believes the incident was politically-related but did not elaborate.
He reassured the public that the suspects in the incident will not “go unpunished.”
The President also said government is open to providing security to former governor Pryde Henry Teves or his brother Rep. Arnolfo Teves who asked for security and the reinstatement of his license to carry firearms for his protection as he claimed that some people are pinning the attack on him.
Asked if he thinks that attack on Degamo along with other elected officials is still an isolated incident, Marcos said he believes the cases are all different and only the case of Degamo is politics-related.
“Actually, if you think of the three cases that came in, iba-iba talaga… Iyung first two of the three, actually baka hindi political. Basta. But the other, ito this is purely political….That’s why we are looking and getting all the best intelligence we can from our people on the ground to tell us where the places we should be looking at. Where do we need more people, where do we need more personnel, who are the personalities involved, etc, all of these things (Actually, if you think of the three cases that came in, they are different …the first two of the three, actually may not be political…But the other, this is purely political….That’s why we are looking and getting all the best intelligence we can from our people on the ground to tell us where the places we should be looking at. Where do we need more people, where do we need more personnel, who are the personalities involved, etc, all of these things),” he said.
Prior to the attack on Degamo, also attacked were Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. last February 17; Aparri, Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda last February 19; Datu Ontawal Mayor Ohto Montawal Naman and Barangay San Carlos, Lipa City Batangas barangay captain Vivencio Palo.
‘NOTHING TO GAIN’
Rep. Teves denied having anything to do with the attack and said he and his brother have nothing to gain from it since the the province’s vice governor is the rightful successor in case the governor dies.
Teves, who revealed he is abroad for a stem cell treatment, said it does not make sense for him or his brother to order the governor’s assassination when they have nothing to gain from it.
“Anong motibo kung ngayon gagawin? Di ba? Hindi rin magiging benepisyaryo ako at ang kapatid ko. Dahil kung mawala ang gobernador, ang uupo naman ang vice governor (What would be the motive if I do it now, right? My brother and I would not be the beneficiaries. Because it’s the vice governor who will assume the post if the governor is gone),” he said in a video message posted on Facebook.
Had he wanted the governor killed and if he had the capability to do it, the administration lawmaker said he would have done it before the last election to eliminate a rival.
The lawmaker condemned the governor’s killing. “We may be rivals in politics but I strongly condemn the violence suffered by Gov. Roel Degamo and other who died in the incident. I condole with the family. It really hurts to lose a loved one,” he said in Filipino.
Citing “intel sources,” Teves appealed to Marcos to protect him, saying his life is now in danger especially since he claimed that certain person is out to get him by pinning him down for the governor’s killing.
He also appealed to the President that his revoked firearms licenses be re-issued by the PNP now that his life could be in danger because of the governor’s killing.
“Now, I’ve just learned that there are some people out there who want to pin me down. Maybe some just want to seek attention or be famous for their own benefit. I’m not alluding to anyone but you know who you are),” he said.
“You know who you are. Don’t use me as an instrument for you to gain fame,” he added.
The controversial lawmaker said the incident was “ugly” and would hurt the province’s image and progress.
At the start of his video message, Teves immediately slammed “rumor-mongers and attention-seekers,” and apologized for his reacting late to the governor’s killing.
“This was a little bit delayed because I’m abroad right now for an overdue medical procedure, which is a stem cell treatment. But my doctor didn’t return so I had to go to him),” he said.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said there would be no sacred cows in the government’s fight against criminality.
SECURITY LAPSES
Azurin said the PNP is looking into possible security lapses and failure of intelligence failure on the part of policemen in the wake of the incident in Negros Oriental and several other attacks on elected officials recently.
“That’s what we are heading to. If you have been staying too long in that area, you should have developed the necessary assets to give you critical information that would affect the peace and security in the area. That’s why those are part of our assessment,” said Azurin.
Azurin said the PNP is also studying the possibility of suspending permits to carry firearms outside residence in Negros Oriental.
He said a reshuffle of police officers might be implemented. “Something must be done just to ensure peace in Negros Oriental, so policemen there will be trusted.”
Azurin said the PNP will look into the culpability of policemen assigned to secure Degamo. He said he has ordered police commanders to conduct threat assessment on local officials in their areas.
“Part of the investigation that will be conducted by the PNP is to determine the culpability of the security of the late Gov. Degamo,” said Azurin.
Azurin said the security team assigned to Degamo should have inspected people going inside the governor’s residential compound.
Asked if the incident will lead to the relief of police officers, Azurin said, “Definitely. I already ordered the command group to look into the possible reshuffling probably of personnel.”
Azurin dismissed claims of leftist groups that the series of attacks against elected government officials is a prelude to the declaration of martial law.
“They should start helping the government instead of (coming up with such ideas). Let us not set aside our personal interest. Let us think of the country’s interest,” said Azurin.
“I want to tell the groups saying that, we’re in a different time, let us not think that way,” said Azurin, apparently comparing the present with the time of the President’s father, former President Ferdinand Marcos who placed the country under martial law in the in the 1970s.
Sen. Francis Escudero said the government should tap its intelligence funds to launch an all-out war against gun-for-hire syndicates to stop assassinations of politicians and civilians alike.
He said the intelligence funds can be distributed across several agencies and “should be tapped in creating an actionable database of these killers.”
Escudero said while the killing of Degamo and other elected officials have attracted media attention, “there are many killings of ordinary people who just remain entries in police blotters.”
The Marcos administration has P9.2 billion for confidential and intelligence funds, of which P4.33 are confidential funds, and P4.95 as intelligence funds under the 2023 national budget.
While the Degamo assassination, and those of other elected officials before him, have attracted media attention, the former governor of Sorsogon noted “there are many killings of ordinary people who just remain entries in police blotters.” — With Wendell Vigilia and Raymond Africa
