Remulla: Negros solon among those under probe
BY VICTOR REYES and ASHZEL HACHERO
POLICE investigators have identified the mastermind in the March 5 killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others at the governor’s residential compound in Pamplona town.
“We have the perpetrators including the alleged mastermind. What we are doing now is trying to finalize the pieces of evidence that would make sure that the cases we are going to file can withstand court trial,” said said Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesman of the PNP’s Special Investigation Task Group Degamo.
Pelare did not give any name.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, asked if Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves is among persons being investigated in connection with the killing, said: “We are investigating everybody who may have something to do with what has been happening in Negros Oriental, we are not exempting anybody.”
Teves, whose brother was defeated by Degamo in the gubernatorial race, was out of the country when he released a video statement last Sunday in connection with talks linking him to the attack.
His lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, issued a statement yesterday.
“We call on all concerned to observe sobriety in their pronouncements regarding the allegations against Rep. Arni Teves in the face of certain accusations against him in connection with the killing of Governor Roel Degamo and several other persons,” Topacio said.
“The killing has already been denounced strongly by Rep. Teves, who has denied involvement therein. It will not serve the ends of justice any by publicly obfuscating the issues prematurely before a thorough investigation in accordance with procedures provided for by law. Verily, justice can only be done to the victims if and when the real perpetrators are brought before the bar of justice and convicted with finality,” he added.
Teves’ videotaped message posted on his Facebook account on Sunday denied any knowledge or involvement in Degamo’s killing.
Remulla on Wednesday said four arrested suspects have surrendered a videotape showing a conversation with the alleged mastermind. “A live conversation happened on video with the person na tinuturo nila (that they are tagging as mastermind),” he said Wednesday. He also said one of the suspects, in a statement, pointed to a mastermind.
Pelare said: “That information actually came from the extrajudicial confession… The special investigation task group is trying to collect pieces of evidence … to make sure that we can build an airtight case against the mastermind.”
A video footage yesterday showed one of the suspects saying Teves was reportedly the one who ordered Degamo’s killing.
The video showed the suspect telling reporters he was among those involved in the killing and they were informed that Degamo was a “drug lord” and the governor had many “enemies.” He said the plan was hatched a long time ago.
He also said they were contacted by one “Martin” to carry out the attack.
Asked who ordered Martin, the suspect said: “Si Cong daw sir.”
Pressed who “Cong” was, the suspect replied “Teves.”
The Central Visayas police, in a statement, said: “The declarations made publicly earlier by one of the suspects in Gov. Degamo’s killing were information that we already acquired from the moment we arrested the four suspects six hours from the incident. While we had these significant developments at hand at the early stage of the conduct of massive hot pursuit operations, we maintained that these be revealed in due time not to compromise the conduct of investigations.”
‘With the strong perseverance of Police Regional Office 7 (PRO7) to solve the crime and our collaboration with other government agencies, we were successful in unmasking the perpetrators and mastermind in this unacceptable attack. We are likewise confident, that with the pieces of evidence at hand, all the persons involved in this killing will be properly prosecuted and justice served to the families,” it added.
CONSPIRACY
Remulla said Degamo’s killing was part of a conspiracy organized by three to four people.
“Conspiracy yan pero may mastermind yan. Ang tingin namin hanggang tatlo, apat yan na nagkaisa na magplano at kumuha na lang sila ng ibang tao para sumapi (It is a conspiracy but there is a mastermind. We think that three to four people organized the plan and then got the people to join),” he said.
The DOJ chief said those behind the attack definitely have the means to carry it out considering the number of people involved.
PREPARATIONS
Pelare said the perpetrators began casing the movement of the governor as early as December last year. He described the attack as well-planned and well-organized.
“According to our investigation, the perpetrators were gathered, they came from different places, some of them from Mindanao,” said Pelare of the suspects who he said were mostly ex-military men.
“Some of them arrived here as early as December to conduct casing and surveillance, to identify what is the particular mode of operation that they are going to launch, (how to) attack the Negros (Oriental) governor,” he said.
Pelare said the information came from the testimony of one of the suspects. The four are now in the custody of the NBI, undergoing process for their entry into the government’s Witness Protection Program.
The four arrested suspects are Joric Garido Labrador, Joven Calibjo Javier, Benjie Rodriguez and Osmundo Rojas Rivero. They have signified their intention to cooperate with the authorities and the DOJ is evaluating their statements.
Pelare said the suspects came from different places outside Negros Oriental and “most of them were ex-military officers who were dishonorably discharged.” He said some of the suspects know each other.
Pelare said they are investigating if there was a conspirator inside the Degamo compound before the arrival of the suspects.
“We are looking into that angle, into the possibility that someone inside the compound was a conspirator,” said Pelare.
He said the suspects were recruited by a facilitator or a middleman. “He (middleman) was also the one who provided safety,” Perale said, without naming names.
TEVES’ RETURN
Remulla said investigators are expecting Teves to return to the country anytime as Congress did not extend his stay in the United States.
Teves earlier said he is abroad to seek medical treatment.
He said they would welcome Teves’ cooperation in any investigation.
“Kaya inaasahan namin na uuwi siya. Kung talagang haharap siya sa ganitong mga usapin na siya’y tinuturo na kasabwat sa mga nangyayaring karumal dumal sa Negros,” Remulla said.
House secretary general Reginald Velasco confirmed that the travel authority to the US granted by the House to Teves expired yesterday.
The travel authority, which was issued last February by the Office of the Secretary General with authority from the Speaker, covered the period from February 28 to March 9.
Teves earlier said he went abroad to undergo stem cell treatment.
PATTERN OF IMPUNITY
Remulla said officials and probers are seeing a pattern of immunity in Negros Oriental.
“What comes out is a pattern. It’s a pattern of impunity that we did not sense before. It is something that is so new to us,” Remulla said, adding that it is difficult to comprehend such a pattern before.
“But now that this killing of Gov. Degamo happened, the stories are beginning to make sense that there was a pattern of impunity within the province,” he added.
He did not elaborate but Remulla said the NBI will soon be inviting some individuals to shed light on the killings and unmask the masterminds.
“This is not just about nine murders, there may be more cases to be investigated, besides even the ones, the three cases, brought by Atty. Baligod brought here on Tuesday,” he said referring to the multiple murder case filed by lawyer Levito Baligod against Teves in connection with three killings that occurred in 2019 in the province, including that of former board member Miguel Dungog.
Teves has denied any involvement in Degamo’s killing but has yet to comment on the cases filed by Baligod. — With Wendell Vigilia
