FOUR suspects arrested over the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel R. Degamo and eight others last Saturday yesterday were turned over to Camp Crame.
Police Regional Office 7 director Brig. Gen. Jerry F. Bearis and Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office director Col. Reynaldo L. Lizardo turned over the four suspects identified as Joric Labrador, Joven Javier, Benjie Rodriguez and Osmondo Rivero to the Custodial Service Unit of the Philippine National Police Headquarters Support Service.
Suspects Javier and Rivero were later turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation as they will be placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program.
According to PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., the “brains” behind the killing of Degamo and eight others will be unmasked and put to jail.
“This thing must stop at kahit sino pa siya, as long as the evidence is there, we will pursue the case until the end. ‘Yan and stance ng liderato ng PNP, even the Marcos government and no less than the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government,” the top cop told mediamen in a press conference.
President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. denounced the killing of Degamo and the other victims and ordered the PNP to get the killers at all cost and ensure that the mastermind will be put to jail.
Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty assured the public that authorities will conduct a thorough investigation into Degamo’s murder to bring the perpetrators, particularly the mastermind, to justice.
Degamo was tending to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental when shot last Saturday.
The killing occurred 19 days after the Supreme Court declared him the winner in the contested gubernatorial race in Negros Oriental.
