Amid spate of killings, Negros Oriental governor says local gov’t on top of things

DUMAGUETE CITY — Local authorities in Negros Oriental are on top of the situation despite a series of killings in the province that started last week, Governor Roel Degamo said Saturday.

At a press conference, Degamo condemned the killings even as he assured Negrenses that the provincial government is doing everything to have the slays probed.

"Insakto na (Tama na). Sobra na," the governor said.

He said he has already asked Negros Oriental Provincial Police Director Colonel Raul Tacaca and Police Regional Director Brigadier General Debold Sinas to conduct a "deeper and more thorough" investigation into the killings.

As of Saturday, the shoting-related death toll in the province has risen to at least 19, with the killings happening across several areas in the province within the space of nine days.

The slays started on July 18, when four policemen were tortured and killed by alleged New People's Army rebels.

Meanwhile, the latest series of slays happened separately early Saturday morning.

A former mayor, an imcumbent councilor, and a barangay chairman are the latest victims in a spate of violence in Negros Oriental Saturday morning, with the victims being identified as:

• former Ayungon town mayor Edsel Enardecido, 60, his cousin Leo, 45, killed by unidentified gunmen at around 2 a.m.; and
• incumbent councilor Ramon Jalandoni and Barangay Panubigan chairman Ernesto Posadas, separately killed inside their homes in Canlaon City.

The rest of the victims were:

• Marlon Ocampo (Santa Catalina town)
• Ocampo's one-year-old son (Santa Catalina)
• Romeo Alipan, barangay chair (Guihulngan)
• Arthur Bayawa, principal of the Guihulngan City Science HS (Guihulngan)
• Ardale Bayawa, city school division office chief (Guihulngan)
• Raklin Astorias (Siaton)
• lawyer Anthony Trinidad (Guihulngan)
• Ingwi Fabugays (Dumaguete City)
• rebel returnee Wenny Alegre (Zamboangita)
• peasant leader Felimino Janayan (Zamboangita)
• Reden Eleuterio (Ayungon)

— MDM, GMA News