By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – One suspect was killed while three others, including two former soldiers, were arrested in pursuit operation in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental several hours after the deadly gun attack that killed nine people, including Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and two barangay officials, in Pamplona town on Saturday, March 4.
In a press briefing on Sunday, Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) of Police Regional Office (PRO) – Central Visayas, said they are exerting efforts to identify the slain suspect.
Pelare said the composite team was able to locate the slain suspect who was hiding in a plantation.
When he sensed the operatives were coming his way, the suspect allegedly shot at the composite team prompting the latter to retaliate which led to the suspect’s death, he added.
Pelare said the information was acquired from the custodial debriefing of the three other suspects who were arrested on Saturday afternoon in Bayawan City.
After the shootout, authorities tried to search for the suspect’s firearm. Pelare said that there were other pieces of evidence that were being considered to locate the remaining suspects.
Early the following day, Pelare said that authorities recovered four assault rifles and other equipment used during the shooting incident that killed Governor Degamo.
The regional police office identified the arrested suspects as ex-Army soldier Joric Labrador, 50, of Cagayan de Oro; ex-Army ranger Joven Javier, 42, of La Castellana, Negros Occidental; and Benjie Rodriguez, 45, of Misamis Occidental.
Pelare said that these suspects have already undergone paraffin tests.
Recovered from them were a .45 caliber pistol, a magazine loaded with live ammunition, and three identification cards.
Their arrest came after three get-away vehicles – a Mitsubishi Pajero, a green Izuzu pick-up truck, and a black Mitsubishi Montero – were found abandoned in Barangay Cansumalig, Bayawan City several hours after the gun attack happened.
Pelare said that the three arrested suspects are making good revelations that can help them with the pursuit operations.
Pelare said they had already coordinated with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to determine the owners of these cars.
Pelare said that bloodstains were found in one of the vehicles. Thus, they believed that one or some of the suspects may have been wounded during the shooting incident.
About 10 armed men entered the compound of Degamo’s residence while the governor was talking to his constituents who were asking for assistance.
Degamo’s death was confirmed by his wife, Pamplona town Mayor Janice Degamo on a Facebook live. He was 56. “Negros Oriental has lost its Governor,” she said.
Aside from Degamo, also killed were Barangay Kagawad Jose Marie Ramirez, Barangay Fatima Captain Florenda Quinikito of Sta. Catalina town, Jomar Canseco and Jerome Maquiling, both civilian drivers, civilian guard Crispin Vallega, and civilians – Jessie Bot-ay, Joseph Retada, and Michael Fabugais, based on the report released by PRO-Central Visayas.
Those who suffered major injuries were civilians – Lestor Chris Arnold, Marlo Quilnet, Fredilito Cafe, Chyrell Garpen, Rosa Banquerigo, Vickmar G Rayoso, Mayben Jun Torremocha, Nikki Espinas, Pedro Flores, Sergeant Edmar Sayon and Corporal Gerald Malones, both personnel of the Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion (IB), Dr. Liland Estacion- head medical doctor of Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital, and media man David Toryan Cortez.
Those with minor injuries and discharged from the hospital were civilians – Diomedes Omatang, Raymond Baro, Rodelio Ragay Quinikito, and Nikko Torres Alavaren.
Pelare said they are not definite yet on the motive, as all angles are being probed.
Pursuit operations against the remaining suspects are ongoing as checkpoint operations were mounted in the province to help in the apprehension of the suspects.
Meanwhile, in a press statement, the Philippine Army expressed its deep sorrow and strong condemnation of the violent attack that resulted in the untimely death of Governor Degamo and eight others.
The Philippine Army said that according to police reports, the arrested suspects are former Army soldiers. “Notably, they were dishonorably discharged from the military service several years back as they did not meet the standards of discipline among our ranks,” said Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, army chief public affairs.
As a highly professional organization, the Philippine Army does not condone the unauthorized use of uniforms, firearms, or insignias by any group or individual, the Army said.
The Army strongly condemns this cowardly act of the perpetrators in order to deceive and mislead the authorities and ordinary people.
The Philippine Army stands in solidarity with law enforcement authorities in the prompt resolution of this case to give justice to the victims.
In October 2022, Degamo assumed the governor’s post a week after Pryde Henry Teves voluntarily stepped down from office, paving a way for a peaceful transfer of leadership.
Degamo was declared as the duly elected governor after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) credited to him the more than 49,000 votes garnered by a nuisance candidate, who used the name “Ruel Degamo” on the ballot during the May 2022 elections.
The additional votes gave Degamo a winning margin of 29,000 votes against the 301,319 votes of Teves.
Earlier, Teves appealed to the Supreme Court (SC) to stop the implementation of the Comelec ruling. However, he failed to secure a temporary restraining order from SC, which prompted him to leave the Capitol.
