By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The three arrested suspects in the murder of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo were former military personnel.

Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, Philippine Army spokesperson, said, based on a background check, the suspects identified as Joric Labrador, Joven Javier and Benjie Rodriguez, were dishonorably discharged from the service in 2014, 2018 and 2009, respectively.

The Army revealed that Labrador was formerly a sergeant and was discharged on March 23, 2014 for going absence without official leave (AWOL).

On Sunday, March 5, Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez identified Labrador as his former security aide.

Although Trinidad did not reveal Labrador’s previous unit, Rodriguez revealed that Labrador was formerly assigned under the 4th Infantry Division based in Cagayan de Oro City.

Rodriguez terminated Labrador after his discovery that he was a suspected drug addict.

Records show that he had a criminal case related to Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Meanwhile, Joven Javier, a resident of Negros Occidental’s La Castellana town, is also a former sergeant, and was kicked out from the service in January 2018 after he went amok inside their quarters.

Javier was previously an Army’s Light Reaction Battalion member.

Records also show that he also went AWOL, and was reprimanded for “insufficient financial support to his family.”

On the other hand, Rodriguez was a former corporal and was discharged in July 2009 for desertion and allegedly refusing to follow orders from his commanding officer during an attack by insurgents.

Rodriguez was previously assigned to the 35th Infantry Battalion based in Sulu’s Patikul town.

Army records also show all three suspects underwent Special Forces and Close Quarter Battle training.

A fourth suspect was later killed after engaging in a gunfight with law enforcement in Negros Oriental’s Bayawan City.

The fifth suspect was arrested on Sunday, although he has yet to be identified by the authorities. Both are also being suspected as ex-military personnel.

Military skills were noted by retired Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief, General Dionisio Santiago, upon seeing the closed-circuit television footage of the incident in a report from ABS-CBN’s “TV Patrol Weekend.”

“Alam nila sino babanatan. May assignment na ‘yan… So kung paano pumuwesto ‘yung security, alam na nila ‘yan,” Santiago explained.

Santiago also noted that Degamo’s security detail were also too complacent, gaining the suspects access to the governor’s compound easily.

He further noted that there is an increasing number of dismissed soldiers who are becoming hired killers.

“Kung dismissed walang pension ‘yan, so ‘yun ang problema. Kung walang pension at walang trabaho, napakadaling i-entice ‘yan,” Santiago pointed out./DGB, WDJ