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Remulla: Degamo slay plan began last year

March 27, 2023 Hector Lawas 189 views

NEGROS Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was the target of three assassination attempts, with the last one on March 4 resulting in his death, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla revealed on Monday.

In an interview with CNN Philippines’ “The Source,” Remulla disclosed that a former soldier who surrendered to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last week and is now in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) provided the information.

The “major player” was involved in the last assassination attempt, as well as the two failed ones last year, Remulla said.

He added that the plans to assassinate Degamo began 100 days before March 4, and the “major player” was involved in the planning and operations from the beginning.

Remulla declined to provide additional information about the suspect to avoid pre-empting an ongoing investigation.

The assassination of Degamo and eight others occurred while he was meeting with beneficiaries of the “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” (4Ps) at his residence in Pamplona town.

Witnesses reported that heavily armed suspects dressed in camouflage uniforms carried out the attack, resulting in the death of eight people.

Degamo won a fiercely contested gubernatorial race in his province, and his assassination occurred just 19 days after the Supreme Court declared him the winner.

Remulla bared that an organized crime group, which is suspected to be involved in assassinations, illegal gambling like e-sabong (online cockfighting), and other criminal activities in Negros Oriental and nearby provinces, was responsible for the killing of Degamo and several others on March 4.

Remulla disclosed that the group being dealt with is believed to be behind a series of killings in Negros, including gambling and other illegal activities of all kinds, which they refuse to stop.

“We believe we are dealing with a criminal organization, which is behind [a] series of killings in Negros. Assassination, gambling, and other illegal activities,” Remulla said.

“All kinds (of gambling), which they would not stop. They would not even budge,” he stressed.

The DOJ chief also disclosed on Monday that there were two “unsuccessful attempts to assassinate the Negros Oriental governor before the successful one on March 4.

Remulla stated that one of the attempts was to use a rifle grenade, but it was called off to “avoid putting innocent lives in danger.”

The second attempt was through a marksman’s scope, but it was also abandoned due to the hazy weather conditions at that time.

Remulla stated that all two attempts were made within 100 days prior to March 4.

“There were three documented assassination attempts against Gov. Degamo. One was by the use of a rifle grenade, which did not happen.

The other was, of course, through sniping, through a marksman, but it did not happen. This one (March 4 incident) already happened, and it was a successful one,” Remulla said.

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