Abalos: 17 cases filed vs suspects in Degamo slay

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 13) — Murder and other cases were filed against the suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos said Monday.

In a press briefing, Abalos said apart from the eight murder charges, authorities filed six cases of frustrated murder, one case of illegal possession of firearms, and two cases of Illegal possession of explosives against the suspects.

Abalos also said 13 more cases are expected to be filed: a murder case, nine frustrated murder cases, and three attempted murder cases.

Nine were killed while 15 were injured, he added.

Degamo was gunned down inside his residential compound in Brgy. San Isidro in Pamplona town, Negros Oriental on March 4.

The Philippine National Police said Degamo was in the middle of a meeting with some of his constituents when around 10 armed men entered his compound and opened fire. The shooters were clad in military uniforms and bulletproof vests, and carried long firearms.

According to Abalos, two security personnel were supposedly on duty on the day Degamo was killed, but one of them got to work late.

“‘Yung isa (security), nandoon in the scene. ‘Yung isa, came in late, pero ine-imbestigahan pa ‘yan. ‘Yung sa AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), we also have it here pero hindi ko na muna sasabihin until I get the official report from the AFP,” he added.

[Translation: One was in the scene. The other one came in late, but this is still under investigation. I will give an update once I get the official report from the AFP.]

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