A former Department of Justice (DOJ) undersecretary is allegedly trying to bribe detained suspects “to stop their cooperation” in the investigation on the March 4, 2023 killings of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel R. Degamo and nine other persons.
The alleged bribe attempt was disclosed by lawyer Levito Baligod, counsel of the Degamo family, in an interview on CNN Philippines on Thursday, May 18.
The suspects are now detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
“A certain high-ranking official of the Department of Justice before with the rank of Usec (undersecretary) is working with some jail guards at the NBI detention facility na ino-offeran nila ng pera ‘yung mga detainees na ‘yan para hindi po sila mag-cooperate sa government (to offer money to the detainees so that they won’t cooperate with the government),” Baligod alleged.
He neither named the former DOJ undersecretary and the jail guards nor the suspects under NBI detention.
“Remember the DOJ has supervision and control over the NBI and having been with the DOJ before in a high capacity may mga kilala po ‘yan sa NBI (this former undersecretary knows people at the NBI),” he said.
“Na-retain kasi ito na lawyer ng mga respondents at tumutulong siya in that way (This person has been retained as a lawyer of some respondents and he has been helping in that way),” he also said.
Baligod disclosed that he has raised the issue with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla and Local Government Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos Jr. He said he identified to the two Cabinet secretaries the former DOJ undersecretary.
“So, I brought this up with Secretary Remulla and Secretary Abalos and requested them that if there is a possibility of transferring these detainees from the NBI detention facility to the PNP (Philippine National Police) Custodial Center,” he said.
“In that way we can insulate them from the people corrupted or bribed by this former DOJ official from not cooperating with the government,” he explained
Recounting his talk to the detained suspects during the preliminary investigation of the charges against them, Baligod said:
“No less than four of the detainees talked to me immediately after the preliminary investigation hearing at DOJ telling me na: ‘Sir, may nag-o-offer sa amin ng pera sa loob. Nung tinanggihan namin ay iniipit na kami. Pinaghiwalay-hiwalay nila kami tapos isinasama kami kay Marvin Miranda. Si Marvin Miranda ay binubully niya kami etcetera’ (No less than four of the detainees talked to me immediately after the preliminary investigation hearing at DOJ telling me, ‘Sir, we were being offered money inside the detention facility. When we refused, we were being pressured. They separated us and moved us with Marvin Miranda who has been bullying us).
“Eventually po some of the detainees will name who these jail guards are na nag-offer sa kanila ng pera at iniipit sila sa loob (who offered money and pressured them).”
Remulla had earlier disclosed that some suspects in the Degamo slaying have started to be represented by private lawyers. He said during their investigation, the suspects were represented by lawyers of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO)
He had also said that there might be recantations of the extra-judicial confessions executed by the detained suspects.
Despite the possible recantations, Baligod expressed confidence in the prosecution of the cases in court.
“No effect at all. In fact, kahit ‘yung 11 na naka-detain ngayon sa NBI ay magrecant, hindi po ‘yan affected sa prosecution (Even if all the 11 these detained persons at the NBI will recant, this will not affect the prosecution),” the lawyer said.
“We have two other very credible witnesses na ipe-present namin during the trial (that we will present during the trial),” he added.