SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Sunday assured the people of Negros Oriental that peace and order have been restored in their province, a day after armed men assassinated their governor, Roel Degamo, in his own home in Barangay San Isidro, Pamplona.

“We want to assure the people of Negros Oriental to remain calm because no less than the President (Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.) has been on top of the situation since it occurred 24 hours ago, and he has ordered us to root out the perpetrators of this crime and to make sure that justice is restored, peace and order is restored to Negros Oriental,” Romualdez said during a press briefing on the killing of Degamo at the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) in Dumaguete City Sunday morning.

“Rest assured, people of Negros Oriental, that peace and order has been restored, there’s nothing to fear, the law enforcers, the whole of government, the Chief of Staff is here, to assure you that there will be no further crimes of this nature in Negros Oriental,” he said.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos was also present.

Speaker Romualdez condoled with the late governor’s family.

“Maraming salamat po Secretary [Benhur Abalos]. Nandito po ako on the part of House of Representatives, nakikiramay po kami sa taumbayan ng Negros Oriental, sa pamilya ni Governor Degamo, si mayora (Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo), at sa buong pamilya niya, mga kaibigan niya,” he said.

He recalled that, shortly after the governor’s assassination, he called on law enforcement agencies to do all they could to called the perpetrators and mastermind of the crime.

“Kahapon lang nagsalita po ako at hinamon ko ang ating secretary (Abalos), ang Chief PNP, at ang chief of staff, at ang law enforcers at within 24 hours, nagpapasalamat naman rin ako na most of the suspects have already been apprehended. So huwag naman natin tigilan itong manhunt dahil there are still [suspects] on the loose at we have also to ferret out who is the mastermind of this heinous crime,” he said.

“We assure the people of Negros na nandito tayo lahat, para malaman ng buong Negros Oriental na nandito ang buong pwersa ng gobyerno para matapos natin itong kaso na ito. We shall apprehend all the perpetrators of the crime including the mastermind,” he said.

Abalos has ensured that Degamo’s death has not left a leadership vacuum by swearing in Vice Gov. Carlo Jorge Joan Reyes as governor and 1st Board Member Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria as vice governor.

The Speaker said he and Negros Oriental 2nd District Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria are assuring the people of Negros Oriental “that we will do everything to provide not just the local government, but our secretary that the PNP and the the Armed Forces, particularly now that we know that there is a great demand for more peace and order for their budget and for whatever requirements, we ensure them that we shall support you in the quest for justice.”

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Ryan Ponce Pacpaco