- GILBERT BAYORAN
The remains of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo will be buried today, March 16, at the family mausoleum in Siaton, even as authorities yesterday identified the sixth suspect, who was killed in a gunbattle a few hours after the incident March 4.
This developed as Malacañang declared March 16 a special non-working holiday in Negros Oriental, in response to the request of Gov. Carlo Jorge Juan “Guido” Reyes, to give NegOrenses an opportunity to show their respect to the late governor.
Maj. Cenon Pancito III, Joint Task Force Negros spokesperson, identified the slain suspect as Arnil Libradilla, a former New People’s Army rebel, from Sitio Awang, Bgy. Atotes, Bindoy town in Negros Oriental.
Libradilla was killed during pursuit operations hours after the broad daylight shooting in Pamplona that claimed the lives of Degamo and eight other individuals, and injured more than a dozen.
Pancito said they believe that the four remaining suspects, including the leader of the assassins, and reportedly a former soldier, are still in Negros.
Four other suspects were arrested in Bayawan City, while another was nabbed by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Amlan, all in Negros Oriental.
All suspects are now in the custody of authorities.
Meanwhile, the Special Joint Task Force Negros, composed of military and police personnel, is now enhancing security operations in preparation for a large crowd expected to attend Degamo’s burial on Thursday.
The SJTFN has been tasked to provide security to residents and to dismantle private armed groups.
Degamo is set to be accorded with full military honors by the Philippine Army.
Meanwhile, the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the NPA in Negros Island also condemned the killing of Degamo.
In a statement, rebel spokesman Ka Maoche Legislador said “it was an act of violence that demonstrated the systemic culture of impunity in Negros, cemented by then President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018, when he ordered the deployment of additional AFP troops to the island thru Memorandum Order 32”.
Legislador claimed that Duterte incited the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to commit widespread violence and mount attacks against the people.
These state forces are the perpetrators of over a hundred extrajudicial killings, especially of Negrosanon peasants and activists, he claimed./GB
