ARMED men “in full battle gear” shot and killed Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo while he was attending to his constituents who were asking for help at his home in the town of Pamplona on Saturday morning.
Degamo’s wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, confirmed her husband’s death in a video streamed on his Facebook page.
Janice said the governor was pronounced dead at 11:41 a.m. Five others “who were there to ask for help,” were killed in the attack, she said.
She called on the national government to give her husband “the justice he deserves.”
“Governor Degamo did not deserve that kind of death. He was serving his constituents on a Saturday along with his department heads,” she said.
Heavily armed men
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr., who condemned the attack, said Degamo was talking to his constituents who are beneficiaries of the government’s conditional cash transfer program when the suspects pulled up in front of the governor’s house in two sport utility vehicles.
Abalos said individuals in “army and navy uniforms in full battle gear” shot Degamo several times and hit other civilians as well.
The Philippine National Police in Central Visayas said the suspects’ getaway vehicles, a Mitsubishi Pajero with plate number NQZ 735, a green Izuzu pick up with plate number GRY 162 and a black Mitsubishi Montero with plate number YAP 163, were found abandoned in Barangay Kansumalig, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
The PNP said around 10 individuals were spotted fleeing the scene. Security forces are now searching for them.
The police have formed a Regional Special Investigation Task Group to conduct a thorough probe of the incident
DILG response
Abalos directed the PNP to conduct hot pursuit operations against Degamo’s killers.
He said the police would not stop until the case has been resolved.
“We will quickly get to the bottom of this,” he said in a statement.
He also appealed to witnesses to come forward and to share with authorities what they know about the incident.
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Who is Degamo?
Degamo had been the province’s governor since 2011, when he assumed the post following the death of Gov. Agustin Perdices.
He then went on to win three terms as governor in 2013, 2016, and 2019.
In 2022, he ran for a fourth term despite the three-term limit for elected officials.
He contended that he was allowed to run for another term because his second term was interrupted due to the Ombudsman’s orders suspending and dismissing him from office. The Commission on Elections sided with him.
During the 2022 elections, Degamo’s rival Pryde Henry Teves initially garnered more votes.
But Degamo petitioned the Comelec and said the votes for the candidate “Ruel Degamo,” who he asked to be declared a nuisance candidate, should be counted in his favor.
The Comelec granted Degamo’s petition and proclaimed him Negros Oriental Governor.
