Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla put up a P5-million reward to anyone who can give vital information or evidence that would lead to the filing of charges and prosecution of the perpetrators and masterminds in the killings of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel R. Degamo and five civilians.
Remulla has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate.
“The violent and senseless manner by which the perpetrators carried out their plan cannot and will not be tolerated,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement.
“Not only did they kill their target but they killed innocent civilians along the way. There is absolutely no room for such evil doings in this country,” the DOJ said.
Reports stated that Degamo was killed by several armed men in his residence in Pamplona town. The late governor was in a meeting with his constituents who are beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.”
The DOJ said that “together with all the other law enforcement agencies, the DOJ will not rest until justice is met. The killers as well as the mastermind/s will be uncovered and will be held accountable for the incident.”
Last Feb. 14, the Supreme Court (SC) declared Degamo as the duly-elected governor of Negros Oriental.
The SC dismissed the petitions filed by Pryde Henry A. Teves and Grego “Ruel” G. Degamo against the Comelec’s resolution that declared the latter as a nuisance candidate in Negros Oriental in the last May 9, 2022 election.
It ruled that the Commission on Elections “did not commit grave abuse of discretion in issuing its Resolution in SPA No. 21-085 (DC) dated Sept. 1, 2022.”
The Comelec, as a full commission, affirmed the resolution of the its Second Division, which declared “Ruel Degamo as a nuisance candidate.”
Subsequently, the proclamation of Pryde Henry Teves as the provincial governor of Negros Oriental was annulled and the votes obtained by Grego Degamo was credited in favor of Roel R. Degamo.
After the credit of Grego Degamo’s votes in favor of Roel G. Degamo, the latter obtained 331,726 votes as against Teves’ 301,319 votes.