Following killing of Gov. Degamo

OFFICERS and men of the Bayawan City Police Station in Negros Oriental on Tuesday were relieved and replaced with new personnel amid the ongoing manhunt operation for the rest of the killers of Governor Roel R. Degamo and eight others last Saturday.

According to Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Degamo spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, the Bayawan City policemen will be replaced by personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Chief for Administration and Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Lt. General Rhodel O. Sermonia presided over the turnover ceremony in Bayawan where Lt. Col. Stephen Amamaguid took over as the new city police chief vice Lt. Col. Rex Moslares.

Amamaguid used to be the chief of the Police Strategy Management Unit of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (PPO).

Pelare said the replacement personnel will take over the tasks of the relieved police officers.

The relieved personnel will undergo a 30-day Character and Aptitude Development Training (CADET) program, which tackles values formation, internal discipline, and PNP ethical standards, among others, he added.

An autopsy on the governor’s body showed that he suffered 11 gunshot wounds.

Four of the five suspects, who were all “dismissed” soldiers, were arrested, while another was killed in an encounter with pursuing police officers.

Two of the suspects are now being held at the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police Headquarters Support Service (PNP-HSS) in Camp Crame, while the other two are being evaluated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) if they will qualify to be under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).

Pelare said that an initial ballistic examination also revealed that bullets recovered from the body of Degamo came from one of the assault rifles recovered during the hot pursuit operations.

Prints from the recovered getaway vehicles were also taken for comparison and for DNA testing. The owners of the vehicles were also identified and are being investigated for their possible involvement in the crime.

All of Negros Island has been sealed due to the ongoing hot pursuit operations, according to Pelare.

Sermonia said that the PNP has increased its police presence with support from the military in Negros Oriental to maintain peace and order in the province.

“The PNP will leave no stone unturned in tracking down the suspects in this heinous crime,” he added.

“The PNP is taking swift action to address the recent tragic event in Negros Oriental. We will do everything within our authority to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Governor Roel Degamo and the other victims of this senseless act of violence,” said the official.

The new Bayawan City police chief was installed amid a statement from PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. that changes in the local police leadership are forthcoming.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos Jr. also ordered the replacement of all police personnel in Negros Oriental following the brazen daylight assassination of Gov. Degamo.

“As per my instruction, all the police personnel in Bayawan City and other local government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental will be changed,” the DILG chief said.

One suspect in the deadly gun attack was killed by the police in a hot pursuit operation, while four others were arrested and charged with multiple murder and frustrated murder.

The governor and eight others were killed in the attack, while 13 others were injured after being shot without provocation by at least six gunmen armed with automatic rifles.

As of press time, police and military troops are still tracking down at least five more suspects.