(UPDATED) Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo succumbed to gunshot wounds after unidentified men shot him outside his house in Barangay San Isidro Sto. Nuebe, Pamplona town on Saturday morning, March 4, 2023.
NEGROS Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo succumbed to gunshot wounds after unidentified men shot him outside his house in Barangay San Isidro Sto. Nuebe, Pamplona town on Saturday morning, March 4, 2023.
Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesman of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7) Director Brigadier General Jerry Bearis, said the attack happened while Degamo was entertaining 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) beneficiaries.
Pelare said armed men wearing pixelized uniform and in full battle gear arrived at 9:36 a.m. and starting shooting, hitting the governor and several civilians.
The crowd scampered to safety while the governor was rushed to a hospital in Dumaguete City where he was pronounced dead at 11:41 a.m.
Colonel Reynaldo Lizardojoc, Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office director, quickly responded with his personnel, while PRO 7 Director Bearis left for Negros Oriental to personally supervise the investigation.
Bearis ordered road blocks to be established in the province and launched a manhunt.
Degamo’s wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, said five others were killed during the incident.
However, it has yet to be confirmed if the four – two members of the military and two police personnel -- were the governor’s bodyguards.
It was later reported that three more died in the hospital, leaving the total number of fatalities to nine, including the governor.
Another nine are in the hospital undergoing treatment.
According to a statement she released, her husband was a peaceful leader who was willing to go up against the evils of society.
Janice asked the national government to look for the perpetrators and to bring them to justice for her husband’s untimely death.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. condemned the assassination of Governor Degamo.
Marcos described the crime as dastardly and heinous and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
He said the investigation into the murder is developing rapidly.
“We have received much information and now have a clear direction on how to proceed to bring to justice those behind this killing. I am warning all those involved in this killing: You can run but you cannot hide. We will find you. If you surrender now it will be your best option,” he said.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. echoed the President’s sentiment.
“Asahan ninyo na hindi kami titigil hanggang hindi nareresolba ang kasong ito gayundin ang iba pang insidente ng pananambang na nangyari sa mga nakalipas na araw (Please expect that we will not stop until this case is resolved as well as the other ambush incidents that have occurred in recent days). We will quickly get to the bottom of this,” he said.
Abalos urged witnesses to cooperate with police to achieve justice for the slain governor.
Pelare, for his part, said they are still trying to determine the motive for the incident.
Degamo’s road to the gubernatorial post wasn’t easy.
Although he was duly elected, his opponent Pryde Henry Teves didn’t relinquish the post of governor until October 11, 2022.
Before leaving capitol grounds, Teves had told a crowd of supporters, “It is not yet over.”
His victory in the May 9 elections was overturned after the votes of nuisance candidate Ruel Degamo were transferred to Roel Degamo.
Last month, Philippine National Police Chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. ordered all PRO directors throughout the country to conduct an assessment of security threats against elected officials in their areas of jurisdiction following a series of shooting incidents involving three local officials.
*SUMC - 6 (5 patay, 1 buhi) *NOPH - 5 (3 patay, 2 buhi) *ACE Doctor - 5 buhi *Polymedic Hospital - 2 (1 patay, 1 buhi) *Holy Child - Negative Total: 18 Ka biktima as of now (BBT, AYB, LMY /JKV)