‘DEMONYO’ DEGAMO SLAY BRAINS
INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. yesterday called on one “Demonyo, (Devil) whom he tagged as the brains behind the murder of Negros Oriental Governor Roel R. Degamo and eight others to surrender now and face the criminal charges against him in court.
“Ang pangalan ng mastermind eh Demonyo. Maski sa birth certificate, alam ko ang middle initial nito eh Demonyo,” the DILG chief said in referring to the suspected mastermind in the assassination of Gov. Degamo last March 4 although he did not really name him citing legal procedures.
Abalos expressed confidence that the Special Investigation Task Group Degamo composed of officers from the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces and the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice are already in the ‘very end of unmasking the brains.’
“Alam kong alam mo kung sino ka na kaya sumuko ka na. lam mo kung sino ka at sumuko ka na. Sa iba pa namang hindi sumusuko, nais kong sabihin sa inyo na iba ang utak ng taong it. He’s very devious, he’s very evil, lahat ng kasamaan nasa kanya,” the DILG chief said.
The DILG chief said that as of present, everybody has an opinion of who is the mastermind behind the killing of Degamo and eight others. “But right now, this is what I assure him, malakas na ang aming ebidensiya, ang importanteng testimonies, forensic evidence laban say o kaya wag mo nang parusahan ang sarili mo. Sumuko ka na,” he said.
Sec. Abalos commended PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. and his men, specifically those from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group headed by Brigadier Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. and the Armed Forces led by Gen. Andres C. Centino for a job well done in investigating the multiple murder case.
He cited the discovery over the weekend of thousands of ammunition, improvised explosive devices and other bomb paraphernalia inside a compound in Bayawan City in Negros Oriental owned by ex-Gov. Pryde Henry Teves, a brother of suspended Negros Oriental (3rd District) Representative Arnolfo ‘Arnie’ Teves who remained at-large as of press time.
The DILG chief said that the PNP-CIDG, the Police Regional Office 7 headed by Brig. Gen. Anthony A. Aberin and the AFP used a backhoe and other heavy equipment to dig for the weapons and explosives deliberately buried underneath the Teves compound.
Pryde Henry was not around during the search but three of his workers were arrested.
Department of Justice spokesperson Attorney Mico Clavano said that on Sunday, six more individuals tagged in the multiple murder case were subjected to inquest proceedings before the DOJ with the NBI-National Capital Region as complainants.
Clavano said the DOJ has recommended the filing of information for nine counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder and three counts of attempted murder against the accused.
Gen. Azurin said the weapons and explosives recovered during the series of raids in Negros Oriental will be subjected to forensic and ballistics examination to determine if they could have been used in previous deadly incidents in the province.
