Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was shot in front of his home in Barangay San Isidro, Pamplona at 9:36 am Saturday by armed persons wearing pixielized uniform, his wife said in her Facebook post.
Pamplona Mayor Joyce Degamo said her husband was declared dead at 11:41 am.”There were five others who died with him and who were there to ask for help,” she said in her Facebook post.
Police added that nine persons were also injured.
”Governor Degamo did not deserve that kind of death. He was serving his constituents on a Saturday along with his department heads,” she said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he condemned ”in the strongest possible terms the assassination of a sitting governor.” Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to pursue the gunmen.
Degamo was the fourth local government official who was the victim of recent attacks. He and a vice mayor in Aparri, Cagayan were shot by the attackers while a governor and a mayor from Mindanao cheated death.
The PNP met congressmen recently where the former promised they will do everything to protect officials.
The PNP Region 7 Office said ”Degamo was entertaining 4Ps beneficiaries at the entrance of his residence when suddenly a group of persons wearing pixelized uniform and in full battle gear shot the Governor several times hitting the latter and some civilians. to the nearest hospital.”
Lt. Col. Gerald Ace Pelare, spokesman of the PNP regional office, said there was ”a security packet for Governor Degamo.” ”It’s just that the perpetrators, they really planned it well,” he told dzBB.
He said the governor was receiving threats ”months before”. Degamo’s election was upheld by the Supreme Court last February.
The PNP regional office said three getaway vehicles were found abandoned in Barangay Kansumalig, Bayawan City. DMS
