By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was killed after a group of armed men barged into his residential compound at Barangay San Isidro in the province’s Pamplona town on Saturday morning, March 4.
Degamo was attending to the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program at the entrance of his compound when six men — in military uniforms and in full tactical gear — entered the gate at around 9:40 a.m., Police Regional Office in Central Visayas spokesperson, Lt. Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare said.
A few seconds later, closed-circuit television cameras showed several gunmen opened fire at Degamo and the crowd.
Another gunman fired at the improvised security guard house.
The suspects then fled on board two sports utility vehicles.
Based on information released by the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO), Degamo and several injured staff and individuals were rushed to the Silliman University Medical Hospital and the Polymedic Hospital in Dumaguete City for treatment.
However, Degamo passed away at around 11:41 a.m. due to multiple gunshot wounds on his body, his wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, confirmed.
Eight other fatalities were identified as Jesse Bot-ay, Kagawad Jose Marie Ramirez, Jerome Maquiling, Jomar Canseco, Crispin Vallega, Fatima village chief Florenda Quinikito, Joseph Netada, and Michael Fabugias.
Around 14 individuals were injured and were being treated at various hospitals in Dumaguete, of which two have been discharged after incurring only minor injuries in the attack.
3 suspects fall
NOPPO and the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade immediately conducted hot pursuit operations against the attackers.
The gunmen’s vehicles were later tracked down at Barangay Cansumalig in the province’s Bayawan City.
At 4:20 p.m., three alleged gunmen in the attack were arrested in the same village by the Philippine Army and the Special Action Force.
They were identified as 50-year-old Joric Labrado, a former soldier and resident of Cagayan de Oro City; 42-year-old Joven Aber, also an ex-soldier and resident of Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town; and 45-year-old Benjie Rodriguez, a resident of Misamis Occidental’s Bonifacio town.
Meanwhile, one gunman was killed later in the evening in a gun battle with police and he has yet to be identified by the authorities as of press time.
NOPPO’s Special Weapons and Tactics unit and 11th Infantry Battalion soldiers discovered the weapons used by the suspects early yesterday morning.
Among the recovered are five assault rifles, a B40 rocket propelled grenade launcher with five rockets, four bandoliers loaded with plates, a rifle case, two combat uniforms, a gray sweatshirt, and three pairs of combat boots.
Law enforcement in Negros Oriental is conducting hot pursuit operations against the remaining suspects as of yesterday morning.
Pelare also confirmed that Degamo had received death threats prior to his assassination./DGB, WDJ