More troops sent to Negros Oriental

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Additional military troopers were sent to Negros Oriental following the assassination of Governor Roel Ragay Degamo in the province on March 4.

This was confirmed yesterday by Brigadier General Leonardo Peña, commander of the Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade (IBde).

Peña said these military personnel have been deployed to the province since last week. However, he refused to divulge the exact number of the additional deployment.

In a press briefing on Saturday, March 11, National Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been tapped to organize two brigades and six battalions to work with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in carrying out the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to serve warrants for the crimes related to the death of Degamo.

Galvez said that this is also to ensure the safety of the families of the victims as well as the witnesses.

“The president is very firm in his guidance to solve the case as soon as possible, and bring lawless elements to justice,” he added.

Galvez said the president wanted to arrest all the suspects involved in the gun attack, dismantle all tentacles of violence in Negros, give justice to the victims, speed up the suppression of impunity in the entire island, and dig deeper into the different killings that happened in the province before.

Galvez said that a joint task force composed of members of the AFP and the PNP was formed to ensure that such incidents will not happen again.

“The President has verbally called out the support of the PNP and the AFP to suppress yung impunity and criminalities dito sa Negros,” he added.

Galvez said the president’s order is also to dismantle private armed groups in Negros, adding that the AFP and PNP were directed to put massive deployment in election hotspot areas.

He, however, clarified that the deployment of additional troopers does not mean that the island is militarized. He said that their intention is for the people to feel safe and to bring justice to the victims of the killing.

For his part, General Andres Centino, AFP chief, said there are two brigades and three battalions in the province. The 302nd IBde is based in Tanjay City, while the other brigade is on the Occidental side.

Centino said the military forces were given new tasks to make sure that they are aligned and understood what they were supposed to do.

“Yung deployment of forces is to assure the people of Negros that the government is here, it’s working and making sure that peace and order will prevail,” he added.

Degamo was killed when armed men barged into his residence in Pamplona town. Eight civilians, including two barangay officials, were also killed while 17 others were wounded.

Four suspects have been arrested while one was neutralized. Sixteen suspects, including 12 “John Does” have been criminally charged.

In a report of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG), two more firearms used in the crime were recovered at Sitio Palasanun, Barangay Cansumalig, Bayawan City on March 10. The same village where the three getaway vehicles were also recovered by authorities hours after the incident happened.

Two assault rifles, magazines, and bandolier with plate and ammunition were recovered and were forwarded to the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) for forensic examination, according to Police Regional Office (PRO)-Central Visayas. Hot pursuit operations are ongoing against the remaining suspects.

Meanwhile, five persons were arrested while six high-powered firearms, a shotgun, eight short firearms, and other war items were recovered from a series of raids at the houses and property of Negros Oriental third district rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., on Friday, March 10, based on a report from the 3rd Infantry Division (ID).

Troopers of the 11th Infantry Battalion, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), and the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) counterparts conducted a joint law enforcement operation at the identified houses of Teves in Bayawan City and a resort in Basay town. Two search warrants for alleged illegal possession of explosives, unlicensed firearms, and ammunition were implemented.

In a statement, Brigadier General Marion Sison, 3ID commander, stressed that the successful operations affirmed that the government forces were serious in their pursuit to dismantle private armed groups operating in the region.

“This is a stern warning to those still at large; eventually, the long arm of the law will catch you and put you behind bars,” Sison said.

Sison also said that the Army will continue to support the PNP in its effort to fast-track the resolution of the case and other law enforcement efforts, including the dismantling of private armed groups in the province.

Teves was tagged in Degamo’s killing after one of the arrested suspects identified him as the alleged mastermind in the incident.

When asked for reaction about the raid, Degamo’s wife, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, said that ”since sila naman talaga pinangalanan coming from the gunmen, I think it is only but right na i-search ang mga pamamahay nila sa hinahangad natin na makakuha ng evidence.”

“That is procedure na dapat talagang gawin. Kung hindi ka naman involve ng anything, you will not fear your house being searched,” she added.

Teves has yet to issue a statement regarding the raid and the recent allegations against him. But he earlier denied any involvement in the March 4 incident via Facebook.