221 police personnel in Negros Oriental replaced after Degamo slay — PRO7

A total of 221 police personnel have been replaced after the March 4 killing of Negros Orientral Governor Roel Degamo, the Police Regional Office 7 (PRO7) said on Tuesday.

PRO7 Deputy Regional Director for Operations Police Colonel Noel Flores said they have been replaced by personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB).

“I want to inform the body that 221 personnel form Basay, Bayawan, Sta. Catalina, and Villa Hermosa [have been] already relieved,” he said during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.

On March 7, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos ordered the replacement of police personnel in the province.

The lawyer of Degamo and other victims, Levito Baligod, on April 3 said witnesses claimed that some police personnel allegedly served as spotters for the suspects in the killings in the province.

“Marami pa pong lumalabas na witnesses po na nagsasabi pa at may sarili silang mga ebidensya na ilang mga kapulisan doon ay tumayo pang spotter ng mga pumatay sa iba't-ibang biktima,” he said.

(More witnesses are surfacing who have their own evidence and are saying that some policemen served as spotters for the killers of different victims.)

He added that these police personnel are still in Negros Oriental.

Philippine National Police deputy chief for administration Lieutenant General Rhodel Sermonia said he will check the report.

Abalos said that the involved personnel will be suspended from duty. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News