By Alec Go
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo has no place in the society and is “entirely unacceptable.”
In an ambush interview on Monday, March 6, after the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the Kapatid Angat Lahat for Agriculture Program (KALAP) in Malacañang, Marcos said the perpetrators “cannot go unpunished.”
“I couldn’t believe that this happened. Pinasok ba naman ‘yung sarili niyang bahay. At saka when you see the video, talagang lahat ‘yung basta’t naharap sa kanila babarilin nila. Ilan ang pinatay nila na walang kinalaman sa kanilang gulo, kanilang away,” he said.
“Ito, this is purely political, ‘yung kay Kuya Roel. That’s purely, purely political,” he added, referring to the motive and if the incident was an isolated case.
“That’s why we are looking and getting all the best intelligence we can from our people on the ground to tell us where are the places we should be looking at,” he continued.
Degamo was killed in his residence in Sto. Nuebe, Pamplona Saturday morning, March 4, while attending to the beneficiaries of a social welfare program.
Former forces of the government who were dishonorably discharged from service were among the apprehended suspects.
Marcos said he already ordered the dismantling of private armies.
Before Degamo’s murder, there were a series of violent incidents against politicians.
Datu Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur Mayor Ohto Montawal was hurt in an ambush in Pasay on Feb. 22.
On Feb. 19, Aparri Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda and five of his companions were killed in an ambush in Nueva Vizcaya.
Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. was also hurt, while his four cohorts including three police personnel were slain in an ambush on Feb. 17. – gb
