Manila court postpones arraignment of 10 detained suspects in killings of Degamo, 9 others
The Manila regional trial court (RTC) on Wednesday, May 31, postponed the scheduled arraignment of 10 detained suspects in the March 4, 2023 killings of 10 persons in Negros Oriental, one of them Gov. Roel R. Degamo.
Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony D. Fadullon confirmed the postponement of the arraignment, the reading of the criminal charges to those accused for their plea of either guilty or not guilty.
“It was reset because of pending incidents,” said Fadullon who did not elaborate.
The 10 detained suspects whose arraignment was postponed are Rogelio C. Antipolo Jr., Jhudiel R. Rivero, Romel A. Pattaguan, Dahniel P. Lora, Joven C. Javier, Winrich B. Isturis, John Louie L. Gonyon, Eulogio L. Gonyon Jr., Joric G. Labrador, and Marvin H. Miranda.
They have been charged with 10 counts of murder, 12 counts of frustrated murder, and three counts of attempted murder under the Revised Penal Code.
Five of the suspects who are represented by lawyer Danny Villanueva have executed affidavits of recantation. They took back their supposed statements that admitted their participation in the killings and implicated Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” A. Teves Jr. in the killings.
Those who recanted their testimonies were Javier, Rivero, Lora, Pattaguan and Antipolo.
Teves has been charged with 10 counts of murder, 14 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code in the complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the DOJ. He had been tagged as “one of the masterminds” in the slaying of Degamo.
The DOJ has yet to resolve the complaints and determine if the charges will be filed in court.
Teves, who is still abroad and decline to return “on security reasons,” has denied the allegations against him.