Recantations do not weaken our case vs Degamo slay suspects – Remulla

By Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring, CNN Philippines

Published Jun 2, 2023, 2:23:54 PM

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 2) — The recantations of suspects in the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo do not weaken the case of state prosecutors, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said on Friday.

“Wala naman kaming nakikitang weakening [We do not see weakening], it just changes our strategy on how to prove the case,” Remulla told CNN Philippines’ The Source.

Ten suspects have withdrawn their statements in the case, which Remulla said is irregular.

“It’s actually a good way to see how conspiracies work,” the justice secretary said. “It just strengthens our case that it was a big conspiracy in the very beginning.”

“There is a conductor waving his magic around para pare-pareho sasabihin nila [so that they will say the same thing],” he added.

Remulla earlier said that Marvin Miranda, the alleged co-mastermind, directed the recantations of the suspects.

“Miranda true to form as we said was the director of everything, the director of massacre, was again directing the activities around how they are going to make everybody recant,” he told a briefing Wednesday.

The DOJ chief said the trial of the suspects is approaching that’s why they are “delaying everything.”

He said suspect Jhudiel Rivero’s filing of habeas corpus to force the agency to release his family is part of their “dilatory tactics” — employed by a party to a lawsuit to abuse the rules of procedure to delay legal proceedings.

Remulla reiterated that state prosecutors have more pieces of evidence aside from the suspects’ testimonies.

DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano earlier said that it is possible that the camp of Negros Oriental Rep. Arnie Teves is behind the recantation of suspects.

Teves, the alleged mastermind, has yet to return to the country.

Latest from this section