Azurin: No cover up in probe on police security’s absence during attack vs Degamo

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. vowed Monday there will be no cover up in their investigation into the supposed absence of some police security during the fatal attack on Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

“Definitely, cover up is not part of the ongoing investigation. We lost Governor Degamo. Hindi po tayo magko-cover up dito. Kung sino ang tatamaan, tamaan (We will not cover up. Those involved will be held liable),” he said at a press conference.

Azurin said they are reaching out to the five of the six members of Degamo’s police security who were supposedly absent on their duty during the attack .

The PNP is also coordinating with the leadership of the Police Regional 7 to explain what happened, he added.

Asked about the whereabouts of the five police personnel, Azurin said they are accounted for and set to participate in the hearing on the matter in the House of Representatives.

He noted that members of police security are not on duty all at the same time but work in rotation. According to him, only two to three personnel were possibly scheduled on duty at the time of the attack.

Meanwhile, Azurin said more elected officials in Negros Island informed the police that they were receiving death threats.

“As a matter of fact, the different cases that are slowly na napa-file, these are concerted efforts ng ating mga local chief executives who are afraid before to come out in the open, who know witnesses na magpapatunay na itong mga nangyaring krimen ay kagagawan ng in-identify nilang tao,” he said.

(As a master of fact, the different cases that are slowly being filed are concerted efforts of local chief executives who are afraid before to come out in the open, who know witnesses who can testify that these crimes were done by a person they identified.)

“Sabi ko nga (like what I said), it's an wakening to the people of Negros Oriental,” he added.

On Sunday, Siaton Mayor Cezanne Fritz Diaz said he believes the recent killing of his uncle Degamo could have been perpetrated by an organized group.

According to him, more elected officials, including him, are still on the target list of the organized group.

Two of the suspects pointed to a certain “Cong Teves” as the one who allegedly ordered the hit on Degamo.

Azurin said PNP’s Aviation Security Group personnel in all airports have been tasked to monitor if Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves has returned to the Philippines from United States.

Teves has denied his involvement in the killing of Degamo.

On March 4, Degamo and five others were killed while 13 others were injured in the attack which was done while the governor was distributing aid to his constituents at his residence in Pamplona town. The death toll increased to nine on Sunday.

Murder and frustrated murder charges have been filed against four suspects identified as Joric Garido Labrador, Joven Calibjo Javier, Benjie Rodriguez, Osmundo Rojas Rivero, and 12 John Does before the Tanjay City Regional Trial Court.

Charges of illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives were also filed against three individuals before the Bayawan City Regional Trial Court.—AOL, GMA Integrated News