"NO MATTER how influential and how powerful, I think it’s essential that the culprits should be punished," Senator Imee Marcos said on the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
Marcos, who was here in Negros Occidental Thursday, March 9, said that she is hopeful that investigators will complete all the evidence because clearly, these suspects were merely hired and "it's essential that we get to the bottom of the conspiracy."
Marcos’ statement came after one of the suspected gunmen allegedly tagged Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnulfo Teves as the mastermind of the brutal death of Degamo, which also killed eight others in Pamplona.
She added that the spate of killings needs to be stopped.
"We all know about the news on attacks against other local officials in the country, even against barangay captains. I don't know if this is a preparation for the coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October. We cannot allow this rampant lawlessness to carry on," she pointed out.
The presidential sister said it is essential that the law enforcers are really careful about the illegal guns which are very rampant like grenade launchers and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) found in Dumaguete should be stopped.
"High caliber guns and customized and very expensive artillery. It seems that it is used for the Ukraine war and not just for mere assassination," Marcos said.
As to her suggestion to declare a state of emergency in Negros Oriental, she said that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) feels that with the arrest of the suspects they have a case to build up already.
"Hopefully these does not become a continuing feud as there is probably politics involved. There should be no revenge killings. We should avoid the evil cycle and political strife at all cost," she also said.
Marcos said the concerns of residents in Negros Oriental is not just who killed the victims.
She said that Degamo told her of the death threats he was receiving.
"I even gave him a bulletproof vest in 2019. I advised him not to go out anymore. But he was a simple guy and he personally opens his door when someone knocks," Marcos revealed.
These assassinations are"really, really alarming," she added.
Marcos was in Negros Occidental Thursday, March 9, to distribute a total of P9 million assistance to individuals in crises situation in Kabankalan City and Silay City. A total of 3,000 beneficiaries received P3,000 each.
She was one of the first officials to visit the family of Degamo on Sunday, March 5.
Marcos said, it is "too early for the Commission on Elections to declare an area a hotspot for the coming October elections."
"At the very least, maybe they can declare areas of red alert such as Negros Oriental and Maguindanao," she also said.
"These hired killers are part of bigger criminal syndicates. The police and army knows where the hotspots are," she added.*