Accused in Degamo murder case plead not guilty

The accused persons who were arraigned on Wednesday in connection with the killing on March 4 of then Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo pleaded not guilty before a court in Manila.

Their lawyers confirmed to GMA News Online that Rogelio Antipolo Jr., Rommel Pattaguan, Winrich Isturis, John Louie Gonyon, Dahniel Lora, Eulogio Gonyon Jr., Joric Labrador, Joven Javier, Benjie Rodriguez, Osmundo Rivero, and Nigel Electona pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder.

“‘Yung counsel nung mga akusado, nag waive sila ng reading ng information dahil kung babasahin mo lahat, eh napakarami ng biktima, aabutin tayo ng gabi,” Atty. Paris Real said in an interview after the arraignment at the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 51.

(The counsel of the accused waived the reading of the information because if you read everything since there are a lot of victims, it will already be night before we finish.)

“So because of that na-fastrack yung proceedings, nag enter sila ng consolidated plea of not guilty,” he added.

(Because of that, the proceedings were hastened and they entered a consolidated plea of not guilty.)

Real said that his client Lloyd Garcia and alleged masterminds former Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. and Marvin Miranda were not arraigned.

Teves was not arraigned as he has yet to return to the Philippines. He was recently spotted in Timor-Leste.

For their part, Real said Garcia was not arraigned as he has a pending petition for review at the Department of Justice (DOJ). 

“We filed Petition for Review with the DOJ Secretary on October 31, 2023, on behalf of Capt. Garcia. Hence, his arraignment is effectively suspended for 60 days under Rule 117, Section 11 (c) of the Rules on Criminal Procedure, counted from its filing with the DOJ Secretary,” Real said.

He said they would also file a motion for reconsideration on the dismissal of their motion to quash, which was denied earlier by Justice prosecutors.

According to Real, the prosecution also filed a motion to cancel the passport of Teves and Garcia. 

The next hearing will be held on January 31. 

Degamo and nine others were killed, while several others were injured, after an attack on the late governor’s home in Negros Oriental on March 4, 2023.

Aside from the murder of Degamo and others, the former lawmaker and others have also been charged with the deaths of three individuals in Negros Oriental in 2019. —NB, GMA Integrated News

The Anti-Terrorism Council has also designated Teves and 12 others as terrorists, citing several alleged killings and harassment in Negros Oriental.

Teves has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.