Slain suspect in Degamo slay was ex-rebel, Army claims

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Joint Task Force Negros (JTFN) has identified the slain suspect in the assassination of Governor Roel Ragay Degamo in Negros Oriental.

Major Cenon Pancito III, JTFN spokesperson, said on Thursday that Arnill Labradilla of Bindoy, Negros Oriental was the suspect who was neutralized by authorities in a shootout in Bayawan City while they were on pursuit operation hours after the gun attack happened on March 4.

Pancito said that Labradilla’s identity was revealed after he was identified by the arrested suspects. His remains were also claimed by his family on March 11.

Pancito said Labradilla used to claim that he was a sniper for the rebels.

“Kine-claim niya na na sniper siya, na NPA siya, it’s one way maybe for him to belong to the group. Mindset ng kasamahan niya he was a former NPA,” Pancito said.

Four arrested suspects, including three former military personnel and 12 “John Does,” have been criminally charged for the killing of Degamo and eight civilians in Pamplona town on March 4.

Armed men barged into Degamo’s residence on Saturday morning and fired shots that also wounded 17 civilians.

Pancito said that another suspect was arrested and is now under police custody. He, however, did not name the fifth suspect.

Pancito said that six suspects have been accounted for, including Labradilla, while four others remain at large.

He said the leader of the group is one of the four suspects being pursued by the authorities.

“May haka-haka as to the identities of the four remaining suspects, but we’re not publishing it publicly. Ayaw nating magkamali. We’re getting information but need more corroborative statements para ma establish talaga,” he added.

He said there’s a possibility that the remaining suspects might be a mix from the NPA or former government forces, considering the background of some of the accounted suspects.

“What is clear is in order for them to belong to the group, they should have the skill to carry out their mission,” adding that the suspects did not know each other and were just taken in to form a group.

Earlier, the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) revealed that Degamo has been monitored since December 2022, the time when the suspects were also allegedly gathered for the said purpose, citing the statements of the arrested suspects.

The group allegedly studied some options to plan the attack against Degamo, until they were able to find an opportunity to commit the crime that day.

Pursuit operation is ongoing against the four remaining suspects.