SITG probe on Degamo killing almost complete
Published Mar 9, 2023 07:32 am
BACOLOD CITY – The investigation of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) on the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others, including two barangay officials, is almost complete.
In a media interview on Thursday, March 9, Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, SITG spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Central Visayas, said they have forwarded criminal complaints of multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder against four arrested suspects and 12 ‘’John Does’’ to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Pelare said that 10 suspects were identified as direct participants to the crime while others served as facilitators or conspirators and alleged mastermind.
At least 16 suspects are being tagged in the case, both principal by direct participation and inducement, he added.
Three suspects were initially arrested. The SITG identified them as ex-Army soldier Joric Labrador, 50, of Cagayan de Oro City; ex-Army Scout Ranger Joven Javier, 42, of La Castellana, Negros Occidental; and Benjie Rodriguez, 45, of Misamis Occidental.
They were arrested in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental about six hours after the gun attack at Degamo’s residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental and the discovery of three abandoned getaway vehicles on Saturday, March 4.
Another suspect was killed in a shootout with authorities Saturday night in Bayawan City while the fourth suspect was arrested on March 5.
Pelare said the slain suspect is still unidentified.
He said that according to a suspect’s testimony, casing and surveillance on the slain governor were conducted as early as December 2022. However, Pelare said he is unsure if that included the actual penetration on the security detail of the governor. Pelare said that they are also looking into the angle of a possible inside job, that someone in the compound was a conspirator. The armed men barged into Degamo’s residence while he was speaking to his constituents asking for assistance, based on a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage that went viral online. Seventeen other individuals, including two soldiers and a doctor, were wounded. “It was well-planned and well-organized attack in the lives of the victims,” Pelare said, adding that most of the suspects were former military personnel dishonorably discharged from the service. Pelare said that these suspects are no longer connected with the government, and had pending cases, while others were jailed and released for various reasons such as posting bail or their case was already closed. Before the crime happened, the perpetrators were gathered from different places, some of them from Mindanao, based on the investigation, Pelare said, adding that they were briefed in a particular place, in a safehouse, to identify the particular mode of operation that they are going to launch against the governor. “They were choosing among the options they have, until they were able to find the opportune time to launch the attack that day,” Pelare said. Pelare said that there was one facilitator – a middleman – who facilitated the recruitment and planning, as well as putting the suspects in a safehouse. He, however, refused to go into specific details. “This information is very detailed in nature. This will come out if the cases will be completed,” Pelare said, adding that they have substantially done their part in the investigation. “We are nearing in the solution of this crime, as we already have the true picture of what happened before, during, and after the incident,” Pelare said, adding that they have the nicknames of the other suspects. When asked about the extrajudicial confession of one of the suspects that he was able to talk with the mastermind over video chat, Pelare said that they are trying to collect pieces of evidence, scientific, testimonial, and object, to make sure that they can build an airtight case against the alleged mastermind. Degamo’s wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice, said that the attack against her husband was politically motivated. But the police refused to discuss specific details regarding the motive while investigation is ongoing. Pelare said the suspects intimated their willingness to assist and execute their extrajudicial confession. Thus, the PRO-Central Visayas sought the assistance of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which is closely monitoring the operation, and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, for the provision of independent lawyers who would assist in the taking of the extrajudicial confession. “That was the key so that we can get relevant information in relation to the ongoing manhunt operation against the remaining suspects,” he added. Pelare said that because they have already consolidated pieces of evidence during the custodial debriefing of the suspects, they pieced together a blow-by-blow account of what happened before, during, and after the crime. He said that they have also proven that one of the recovered assault rifles was used in killing Degamo based on the forensic evidence. “We are very particular with forensic evidence. We make sure that it is solid because this is very strong pieces of evidence during court trial,” he added. Pelare said that the SITG spent considerable period of time analyzing these pieces of evidence to make sure they have airtight cases. “The PRO-Central Visayas and the command group is still here to make sure that they can develop an airtight case while pursuing the remaining suspects,” he added. Pelare appealed to the people of Negros to help authorities by reporting any suspicious individuals that may be linked to the killing. “This will be a very crucial information. We would like to reiterate our request if you have information on the suspects in the areas, the SITG appeals to contact us so that we account them,” he said. Pelare said the SITG is very confident that they have established the case against the suspects arrested and at-large. “We have done everything, as we forwarded the pieces of evidence to the Department of Justice (DOJ). What we are doing right now is the final touches of the investigation,” he added. The arrested suspects were recently transferred to Camp Crame in Quezon City as ordered by the national government. Two of them will be placed under the Witness Protection Program of the DOJ following substantial information they have provided to authorities in relation to the crime committed. “This is the very swift and precise action of the regional headquarters regarding the case,” Pelare said. Pelare refused to comment further on the relief of the entire police force in Bayawan City on March 7, three days after the attack against Degamo. He noted that the function of the SITG is conduct investigation and the relief of the personnel is beyond their control. “I am not privy to the decision-making process. But, as you know, we are placing fresh legs on the ground because of the ongoing pursuit operations,” he said. Aside from the Bayawan City police force, Pelare also said that personnel of the Santa Catalina Municipal Police Station were also replaced in line with the manhunt operation. “They need policemen that are fresh and motivated, with physical endurance because we believe the remaining suspects have not left Negros Island,” he added. Pelare said they do not know the further actions of the command group but these are all in relation to the ongoing hot pursuit operations. Pelare assured that security was beefed up at the provincial capitol in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental for the public viewing of Degamo’s remains from March 9 to 12. Pelare said they have anticipated that there will be a lot of sympathizers. He assured everyone that the Negros Oriental police will establish an introduced and maximum security. He refused to go into detail but said that the police and the military will work together to secure all the activities pertaining to the funeral of Degamo and the other victims. Pelare said that they have also accorded the same security to the wounded victims as they are also very crucial to the case. He added that some of them have yet to execute an affidavit. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condoled with the family of Degamo in a visit his wake at their residence in Dumaguete City on Wednesday, March 8.
He said that according to a suspect’s testimony, casing and surveillance on the slain governor were conducted as early as December 2022. However, Pelare said he is unsure if that included the actual penetration on the security detail of the governor. Pelare said that they are also looking into the angle of a possible inside job, that someone in the compound was a conspirator. The armed men barged into Degamo’s residence while he was speaking to his constituents asking for assistance, based on a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage that went viral online. Seventeen other individuals, including two soldiers and a doctor, were wounded. “It was well-planned and well-organized attack in the lives of the victims,” Pelare said, adding that most of the suspects were former military personnel dishonorably discharged from the service. Pelare said that these suspects are no longer connected with the government, and had pending cases, while others were jailed and released for various reasons such as posting bail or their case was already closed. Before the crime happened, the perpetrators were gathered from different places, some of them from Mindanao, based on the investigation, Pelare said, adding that they were briefed in a particular place, in a safehouse, to identify the particular mode of operation that they are going to launch against the governor. “They were choosing among the options they have, until they were able to find the opportune time to launch the attack that day,” Pelare said. Pelare said that there was one facilitator – a middleman – who facilitated the recruitment and planning, as well as putting the suspects in a safehouse. He, however, refused to go into specific details. “This information is very detailed in nature. This will come out if the cases will be completed,” Pelare said, adding that they have substantially done their part in the investigation. “We are nearing in the solution of this crime, as we already have the true picture of what happened before, during, and after the incident,” Pelare said, adding that they have the nicknames of the other suspects. When asked about the extrajudicial confession of one of the suspects that he was able to talk with the mastermind over video chat, Pelare said that they are trying to collect pieces of evidence, scientific, testimonial, and object, to make sure that they can build an airtight case against the alleged mastermind. Degamo’s wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice, said that the attack against her husband was politically motivated. But the police refused to discuss specific details regarding the motive while investigation is ongoing. Pelare said the suspects intimated their willingness to assist and execute their extrajudicial confession. Thus, the PRO-Central Visayas sought the assistance of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), which is closely monitoring the operation, and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, for the provision of independent lawyers who would assist in the taking of the extrajudicial confession. “That was the key so that we can get relevant information in relation to the ongoing manhunt operation against the remaining suspects,” he added. Pelare said that because they have already consolidated pieces of evidence during the custodial debriefing of the suspects, they pieced together a blow-by-blow account of what happened before, during, and after the crime. He said that they have also proven that one of the recovered assault rifles was used in killing Degamo based on the forensic evidence. “We are very particular with forensic evidence. We make sure that it is solid because this is very strong pieces of evidence during court trial,” he added. Pelare said that the SITG spent considerable period of time analyzing these pieces of evidence to make sure they have airtight cases. “The PRO-Central Visayas and the command group is still here to make sure that they can develop an airtight case while pursuing the remaining suspects,” he added. Pelare appealed to the people of Negros to help authorities by reporting any suspicious individuals that may be linked to the killing. “This will be a very crucial information. We would like to reiterate our request if you have information on the suspects in the areas, the SITG appeals to contact us so that we account them,” he said. Pelare said the SITG is very confident that they have established the case against the suspects arrested and at-large. “We have done everything, as we forwarded the pieces of evidence to the Department of Justice (DOJ). What we are doing right now is the final touches of the investigation,” he added. The arrested suspects were recently transferred to Camp Crame in Quezon City as ordered by the national government. Two of them will be placed under the Witness Protection Program of the DOJ following substantial information they have provided to authorities in relation to the crime committed. “This is the very swift and precise action of the regional headquarters regarding the case,” Pelare said. Pelare refused to comment further on the relief of the entire police force in Bayawan City on March 7, three days after the attack against Degamo. He noted that the function of the SITG is conduct investigation and the relief of the personnel is beyond their control. “I am not privy to the decision-making process. But, as you know, we are placing fresh legs on the ground because of the ongoing pursuit operations,” he said. Aside from the Bayawan City police force, Pelare also said that personnel of the Santa Catalina Municipal Police Station were also replaced in line with the manhunt operation. “They need policemen that are fresh and motivated, with physical endurance because we believe the remaining suspects have not left Negros Island,” he added. Pelare said they do not know the further actions of the command group but these are all in relation to the ongoing hot pursuit operations. Pelare assured that security was beefed up at the provincial capitol in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental for the public viewing of Degamo’s remains from March 9 to 12. Pelare said they have anticipated that there will be a lot of sympathizers. He assured everyone that the Negros Oriental police will establish an introduced and maximum security. He refused to go into detail but said that the police and the military will work together to secure all the activities pertaining to the funeral of Degamo and the other victims. Pelare said that they have also accorded the same security to the wounded victims as they are also very crucial to the case. He added that some of them have yet to execute an affidavit. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condoled with the family of Degamo in a visit his wake at their residence in Dumaguete City on Wednesday, March 8.