Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Saturday, March 4, strongly condemned the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, describing it as a ‘’dastardly act of violence".

‘’I send my deepest condolences to the family of Governor Roel Degamo and all the people who were killed in a brutal ambush in Negros Oriental, including civilians,’’ Zubiri said.
Zubiri said the assassination is especially alarming, coming so soon after the ambush of Governor Mamintal Adiong, not to mention the recent ambush on Mayor Ohto Montawal of Maguindanao del Sur, and the killing of Vice Mayor Rommel Almeda in Cagayan.
‘’For this ambush to happen while Governor Degamo was in the middle of attending to 4Ps beneficiaries is absolutely appalling. It is sick and heartless, and the suspects should rot in jail,’’ he stressed.
Heads must roll, he said, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) must crack down on this case immediately.
‘’I also must call on the PNP to strengthen its efforts against the culture of impunity that seems to be encouraging more and more of these attacks to happen across the country. We cannot keep on letting these go on, especially when it puts innocent civilians in the crossfire,’’ he emphasized.
Zubiri said every single incident like this ambush puts a dent on our people’s trust in the government.
‘’It is a failure of intelligence, a failure of police visibility, a failure of our peace and security efforts,’’ he pointed out.
‘’I join the family of Governor Degamo, and all those hurt in the ambush, in calling for justice,’’ he addd.