PHILIPPINE National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. yesterday said that the peace and order situation in Negros Oriental remains to be under control amid the government’s stepped-up effort to arrest the remaining killers of Gov. Roel R. Degamo .
Azurin made the assurance as he called on Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves to return to the country and face the charges hurled against him.
The country’s top cop said a total of nine long firearms were recovered in Bayawan City, some of them believed to have been used in the recent killing of Degamo and eight others.
According to Azurin, as part of their continuing investigation on three murder cases filed against Teves and some co-accused, nine short and eight long firearms, as well as two hand grenades and hundreds of assorted live ammunition, were seized by operatives inside five local residences they raided last week, some of them belonging to Teves.
Last Sunday, the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group headed by Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. filed before the Department of Justice criminal charges for illegal possession of firearms and explosives against six suspects arrested during the raids. Four others, including Teves, remain at-large.
Azurin said hot pursuit operations are still underway to arrest the other suspects in the Degamo assassination.
He added that they are also in the process of identifying the suppliers of the seized weapons as he vowed to go after legitimate gun dealers who could have sold those guns to the suspects.
Meanwhile, Azurin said the five security personnel of Degamo who were not around during the attack will be made to answer questions from the House of Representatives.
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