ILOILO CITY – Gov. Roel Ragay Degamo of Negros Oriental province was killed along with five others in a broad daylight shooting at the family compound in Pamplona, Negros Oriental on Saturday, March 4.
GOV. DEGAMO
Degamo’s wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice V. Degamo, confirmed his death in a video message in the Facebook pages of the slain governor and the Negros Oriental provincial government.
Mayor Degamo said her husband, 56, was pronounced dead around 11:41 a.m.
"We are calling on the national government (for justice). Gov. Degamo does not deserve that kind of death. He was serving his constituents on a Saturday along with his department heads. There were five others who died with him who were there to ask for help,” Mayor Degamo said.
Gov. Degamo was at the family compound talking to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the cash transfer program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), when heavily armed men onboard Sports Utility Vehicles and wearing military uniforms arrived and opened fire around 9:40 a.m.
Degamo was taken to the Silliman University Medical Center in Dumaguete City, the regional capital, where he died after two hours.
“We are still investigating the incident,” the Pamplona Municipal Police Station led by Major Saturnino Sedigo Jr. told Manila Bulletin.
Five others were also killed in the incident. Their identities are unknown as of posting time.
Degamo was the latest local government official ambushed by armed men in the past few days, following Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr., Aparri, Cagayan Mayor Rommel Alameda, and Datu Montawal, Maguindanao Mayor Ohto Montawal.
The Department of Interior and Local Government condemned the attempt on the life of Degamo.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the senseless assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo of Negros Oriental this morning in Barangay San Isidro in the town of Pamplona of this province,” DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said.
“Based on the latest reports from the ground, Gov. Degamo was talking to some of his constituents who are 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) beneficiaries in front of his house when a group of individuals clad in Army and Navy uniforms in full battle gear and were riding two SUVs shot the governor several times, victimizing other civilians as well. The governor and other victims have already been brought to the nearest hospital for urgent medical attention.
“Nagbigay na ako ng direktiba sa Philippine National Police (PNP) na magsagawa ng hot pursuit operations para agad na mahuli ang mga suspek na responsable sa krimeng ito. Nakadeploy na ang mga puwersa ng Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office pati na ang mga kapulisan sa karatig na probinsya para galugarin ang bawat sulok ng lugar para agad na madakip ang mga kriminal (I have ordered the Philippine National Police, particularly the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office and police in nearby provinces, have been deployed to conduct a hot pursuit operation to apprehend the suspects).
“Asahan ninyo na hindi kami titigil hanggang hindi nareresolba ang kasong ito gayundin ang iba pang insidente ng pananambang na nangyari sa mga nakalipas na araw (We won’t stop until this case is resolved, including other incidents that happened in the past days). We will quickly get to the bottom of this.
“Samantala, umaapila rin kami sa mga saksi na maaaring nasa lugar na pinangyarihan ng insidente na mangyari lamang na ilahad ang kanilang nasaksihan at makipagtulungan sa PNP para makamit ang hustisya para kay Gov. Degamo (We appeal to witnesses to come forward and help the police obtain justice for Gov. Degamo).
“Patuloy kaming magbibigay ng update tungkol sa insidenteng ito sa mga susunod na araw (We will continue to give updates on this incident).
Gov. Degamo was killed less than a month after the Supreme Court, on Feb. 14, affirmed the decision of Commission on Elections (Comelec) declaring him the winner in the May 2022 gubernatorial elections against Henry Teves, brother of Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.