DOJ says ex-soldier a major player in Degamo killing
BY ASHZEL HACHERO and VICTOR REYES
A FORMER soldier who reportedly had direct participation in the March 4 attack that led to the death of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and eight others surrendered to the military last Friday and corroborated the testimonies of four other suspects in government custody, officials said yesterday.
With information provided by the suspect, authorities see the case being resolved soon.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the suspect is “one of the main players” in the killing and knows the other persons involved in the crime.
Asked if the suspect named Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves as mastermind, he said, “There are circumstances that lead you to the conclusion that he was perhaps involved in the crime, but the specifics of that, we cannot tell you now.”
Teves has denied any involvement in Degamo’s killing.
Remulla also said investigators are looking at the involvement of eight more persons. He previously said there may be three to four masterminds involved in the attack.
The surrender of the former soldier was announced by Remulla, Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, and Armed Forces chief Gen. Andres Centino in a press conference at the Department of Justice in Manila.
Abalos said the suspect “is said to be part of the team that killed Governor Degamo.”
“We understand that the suspect has vital and critical information that we hope will pave for the resolution of this case the soonest possible time,” he also said.
Abalos declined to give other details about the suspect because of the ongoing investigation.
Centino said the suspect surrendered last Friday to military personnel in Negros, without giving the specific area.
He said the suspect was implicated by the arrested suspects, referring to the four suspects in custody who are all former soldiers and are cooperating with authorities in going after the other suspects and the mastermind.
“His name was one those the suspects, earlier arrested, mentioned in the earlier investigation. Last Friday, he approached one of our personnel in Negros and over the weekend we brought him here in Manila,” said Centino.
The four suspects earlier arrested have been charged in connection with the killing and are under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation. One suspect was killed in a shootout with law enforcers.
The DOJ is evaluating their testimonies to see if they would qualify for the Witness Protection Program.
CRITICAL INFO
Remulla said the suspect corroborated the information the investigators have and knows the other people involved in the attack.
“Very critical ang information niya. He is one of the main players in the crime and he gave a lot of information but we are still validating what he said. He is one of the major players, he has a major role in what happened. What he told investigators corroborates previous statements given us and he knows the other people involved that’s why we know how extensive this case is,” Remulla said in mixed Filipino and English during the press briefing.
He said investigators are doing a “case build-up against the suspects and the masterminds” to ensure government will have an airtight case against the suspects and those behind the attack.
REVAMP
Remulla said public prosecutors assigned in Negros Oriental will be replaced as authorities ramped up their probe to unmask those behind Degamo’s killing.
“We’re about to do that, we are working on that,” Remulla said when asked if the DOJ is considering a revamp of the state prosecutors assigned to the conflict-torn province.
Asked how many prosecutors would be replaced, Remulla said “as many as necessary,” adding this would also help dispel the public’s concern of bias.
In an earlier radio interview, Remulla said relatives of Degamo had also suggested the replacement of state prosecutors assigned in the province.
Remulla said Teves has yet to communicate with investigators on whether he will return to the country, and reiterated his appeal to the lawmaker to return and answer the questions linking him to Degamo’s killing.
“Hindi siya nagpaparamdam (He hasn’t sent feelers). We don’t know if he is coming back or not… we cannot speculate but if you ask me, he should go home to face the music,” he said.
Despite the expiration of his clearance to travel to the United States last March 9, Teves has yet to return to the country, prompting the DOJ last Saturday to say they will ask the Interpol to put him on its “Blue Notice” to monitor and track his whereabouts.
The embattled lawmaker has raised concerns on his and his family’s safety in refusing to return to the country, even if Remulla, Speaker Martin Romualdez, and the PNP assured him of his safety.
Teves also faces multiple murder charges before the DOJ in connection with the 2019 killings of three persons in Negros Oriental, including former board member and Degamo ally Miguel Dungog.
Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the AFP Visayas Command (Viscom), said the surrender was made “at the national level, so we (Viscom) are not privy to the details and information about it.”
“On the part of Viscom and SJTF (special joint task force), we will continue supporting the law enforcement operations there and would continue being visible to the people to assure them that the AFP, together with the PNP, is there to protect them and bring to justice those who are responsible to justice,” said Arevalo.
Abalos assured the public that the government is “steadfast in its desire to resolve this case and we will not stop until the we bring justice to the victims of this heinous crimes.”
Abalos also said the peace and order situation in Negros Oriental has improved a lot since the March 4 incident.
A military task force has been created to assist in the restoration of peace and order in the province and help in going after several suspects who remain at large.
“Right now, we are able to restore the confidence of the people,” said Centino.
