PNP to remaining suspects in Degamo slay: We know your identities, surrender to authorities

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday appealed to the remaining suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo to surrender to the authorities, saying they already know their identities.

At the press briefing, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo declined to provide additional details of the remaining suspects due to the ongoing pursuit.

Fajardo, however, said they have a “very credible” lead as to the whereabouts of the remaining suspects.

“We are pursuing very a credible lead as to their whereabouts. Alam naman po natin hindi lang tayo ang nakakapanood ng ganitong mga balita. I’m sure the remaining suspects, including the mastermind, are monitoring the news so we don’t want to give them advantage para magbigay tayo ng additional information but suffice to say hindi tumitigil ang pwersa ng gobyerno para tugisin po ang nalalabi pong mga suspect, pati na rin ang mastermind,” Fajardo said.

(We are pursuing a very credible lead as to their whereabouts. We know that we are not the only ones watching this kind of news. I’m sure the remaining suspects, including the mastermind, are also monitoring the news so we don’t want to give them an advantage. So we cannot provide additional information but suffice to say the government forces vowed to hunt down the remaining suspects as well as the mastermind.)

Fajardo said there are rewards in place for anyone who could provide information on the killing of Degamo, adding that they are waiting for the official announcement of the PNP chief and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary.

“Nag-appeal ang inyo [remaining suspects] ang government na sana sumuko na kayo sa lalong madaling panahon. We are pursuing you relentlessly wala na kayong pagtataguan. We are expecting major breakthrough in this case po,” she added.

(The government appealed to the remaining suspects to surrender as soon as possible. We are pursuing you relentlessly, you have nowhere to hide. We are expecting a major breakthrough in this case.)

Fajardo said authorities believe the remaining suspects are still in the province of Negros Oriental, citing that the wide range of the province is one of the challenges during the pursuit operations.

She added that authorities are also conducting random checkpoints in the province.

“Based dito sa nahuling  apat na suspects na alam natin hindi taga roon mismo sa Negros Oriental which somehow helped sa mabilis na pagkakahuli sa kanila dahil hindi sila familiar sa lugar at napakalaki ng tulong ng mga kababayan natin sa Negros Oriental kung bakit naging mabilis ang paghuli sa kanila yung ibang mga suspects meron na tayong leads base na rin sa binibigay na impormasyon noong apat na suspects na nasa custody natin,” she said.

(Based on the captured four suspects that we know are not residents in Negros Oriental which somehow helped in the swift capture of these suspects because they were not familiar with the area and with the help of the residents in Negros Oriental was also a great help, we already have leads based on the information provided from the four suspects under our custody.)

“We are nearing to the solution of this case may mga forensic evidence na tayong hawak napakamaterial na impormasyon na binigay ng arrested suspects particularly doon po sa mapagkakakilanlan ng possible mastermind behind this violent incident,” she added.

(We are nearing to the solution of this case, we have forensic evidence that is very material information given by the arrested suspects, particularly in identifying the possible mastermind behind this violent incident.)

Degamo was talking to beneficiaries of the government's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) at his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, on the morning of Saturday, March 4, when armed men barged in and fired shots.

The governor and five others were killed. The death toll rose to nine the day after the attack. Thirteen others were seriously injured, while four were treated as outpatients.

Three suspects were arrested during a hot pursuit operation in Bayawan City on March 4. One other suspect died in an encounter with authorities in the province, police said. Another suspect was arrested on March 5. 

Murder and frustrated murder charges have already 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. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News