Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 5) – A suspect in the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was killed in a firefight Saturday night while three others were arrested and identified, the police said on Sunday.
Negros Police Provincial Office Special Investigation Task Group spokesperson LtCol. Gerard Pelare confirmed the suspect was killed during an encounter with policemen and soldiers in a plantation in Bayawan town around 9 p.m. Saturday.
He said when the unidentified suspect sensed the authorities closing in, he opened fire on them and they retaliated and killed him.
Authorities also arrested three other suspects identified as Joric Labrador, Joven Javier, and Benjie Rodriguez. They recovered four assault rifles and battle gear from the suspects.
Pelare confirmed that two of the three arrested suspects were dishonorably discharged from military service due to illegal drug charges and for going absent without official leave.
According to a police report released Saturday, Labrador and Javier are former members of the Army.
Pelare also said the death toll from the shooting rose to nine, while 13 victims sustained major injuries and four sustained minor injuries.
Authorities are still determining the motive for the assassination of Degamo.
“We are not definite on the motive, all angles are being looked upon while investigators are still on the ground,” Pelare said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier said more or less 10 suspects were involved, leaving six more at-large.
Degamo was gunned down inside his residential compound in Brgy. San Isidro in Pamplona town, Negros Oriental Saturday morning.
The PNP said Degamo was in the middle of a meeting with some of his constituents at 9:50 a.m. Saturday when around 10 armed men entered the compound and opened fire.
The shooters were clad in military uniform and bulletproof vests, and carried long firearms, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the police revealed in separate statements.
The governor’s wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, said her husband was pronounced dead at 11:41 a.m. at a hospital in Dumaguete City.
READ: Negros Oriental governor assassinated inside home, 3 suspects arrested
