A wounded victim of the March 4 bloodbath that killed Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo died yesterday, bringing the death toll from the said massacre to 10.
According to a Facebook post from the Degamo camp, the latest fatality was identified as Fredilino Cafe Jr., also known as “Putok,” who died from his injuries more than two months since a group of armed men stormed Degamo’s private compound in Pamplona town and shot the late governor and eight others.
Cafe, a native of Santa Catalina town, was an employee of the Negros Oriental Provincial Engineering Office.
He was among those who regularly accompanied Degamo during the slain governor’s weekend consultations with Negros Oriental residents at his compound, Degamo’s camp told ABS-CBN News.
Since the attack, Cafe had reportedly been “in and out of the hospital,” but succumbed to his wounds on Sunday.
Aside from Degamo and Cafe, other victims of the March 4 bloodbath include:
- Santa Catalina farmer Jessie Bot-ay
- Provincial Engineer’s Office driver Jerome Maquiling
- Santa Catalina’s Barangay Fatima chairwoman Florenda Quinikito
- Provincial Health Office driver Jomar Canseco
- Pamplona’s Barangay Yupisan councilor Jose Marie Ramirez
- Tanjay City’s Barangay Obogon chief watchman Joseph Retada
- Dumaguete-based photographer Michael Fabugais
- security guard Crispin Vallega
Last month, the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs conducted a series of hearings on the Degamo slay.
More than a hundred speakers appeared before the Senate panel during the hearings, telling their stories about the spate of violence that has hounded the province. Among them was Degamo’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo.
Following the hearings, the witnesses met with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. at the Malacañang Palace.
Marcos Jr. earlier vowed justice for Degamo, who had endorsed his candidacy in the May 2022 presidential race. (ABS-CBN News)