- GILBERT BAYORAN
One of the suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others has surrendered to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Special Joint Task Force Negros head and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said.
Abalos said yesterday that the suspect, who is now under the custody of the AFP, has vital information on the case.
“We understand that the suspect has vital and critical information that we hope will pave the way for the resolution of this case the soonest possible time,” Abalos said.
AFP chief of staff, Gen. Andres Centino, who confirmed the surrender of the suspect on Friday in Negros Oriental, said he will be turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation.
While the Special Joint Task Force Negros did not elaborate on the details of the suspect’s surrender, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he was a “direct participant” and was named by the other gunmen – Joric Garido Labrador, Joven Calibjo Javier, and Benjie Rodriguez – who were earlier arrested by the police and admitted involvement in the murder of Degamo.
Remulla said that the suspect corroborates the information that investigators have and he knows other people who are also involved in the broad daylight shooting.
The latest surrenderer brings to six the number of perpetrators accounted for by authorities, more than two weeks after Degamo and eight others were killed inside his residence March 4 in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.
Of the six suspects, one died while five others had been arrested.
Task Force spokesman, Maj. Cenon Pancito, said they are still looking for the four other suspects.
All five suspects now under the government protective custody are former members of the AFP.
Pancito earlier revealed that the team of assassins who killed Degamo was led by an ex-Army soldier./GB
