THE Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into replacing prosecutors in the province of Negros Oriental to ensure fairness amid the ongoing investigation of the assassination of Governor Roel Degamo.

In a press conference on Monday, March 20, 2023, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said they will replace as many Negros Oriental prosecutors as necessary.

“We're about to do that. We're working on that now. Nailibing na si Governor Degamo so those things will move faster sa kinakailangan naming gawin,” said Remulla.

“Alam niyo kasi ang sistema natin, I was governor before. Ang prosecutors kasi ng probinsya binibigyan natin ng allowances as governor and yun ang iniiwas natin familiarization so that mawala ang tingin ng tao na may bias ang kahit na sino. Kinakailangan ilayo na natin sa mga dating nakaupo, ‘yung mga naroon, para maging fair talaga ang lahat at mawala ang duda ng tao,” he added.

(You know our system, I was governor before. The prosecutors of provinces are given allowances by governors and we are trying to avoid that familiarization so that people will not think that there are any biases. We need to distance them from those who previously sat in office, those who are there, to make everything fair and to remove people's doubts.)

Remulla assured that there will be no cover-ups in the ongoing investigation on Degamo’s death, where one of the individuals being tagged as the mastermind was Negros Oriental Third District Representative Arnulfo Teves Jr.

So far, five individuals who admitted participation in the murder incident involving Degamo on March 4 are under the custody of authorities.

At least 30 cases were filed against these suspects and 12 other unidentified individuals, including the masterminds. (SunStar Philippines)