Negros Oriental congressman Teves denies role in Degamo killing

Negros Oriental Representative Arnie Teves has denied that he and his brother Henry were involved in the killing of Governor Roel Degamo amid allegations that the incident over the weekend was politically motivated.

According to Cedric Castillo's report on "24 Oras", the family of the slain local chief executive believe that politics had something to do with the shooting at te Degamo residence on Saturday.

“Kung may balak man ako o may kakayahan na gawin ito eh di sana ginawa ko na ito bago pa mag eleksyon. Anong motibo kung ngayon gagawin hindi ba? Kung mawala ang gobernadora ang uupo naman ang vice governor,” said the Congressman on Facebook.

(If we had the motive and the capability to do this, we should’ve done this before the election. Why would we do it now? If the governor dies, the vice-governor will take reign.)

Nine individuals, including Degamo, died after armed men fired shots while the governor was distributing aid at his residence in the town of Pamplona. 13 were seriously injured in the shooting.

Teves' brother Henry ran against Degamo in Eleksyon 2022.

Henry was first proclaimed the winner of the gubernatorial race. There was tension at the provincial capitol when Degamo refused to leave.

It was in September 22  when the Commission on Elections en banc annuled Henry's proclamation. The Supreme Court upheld the Comelec ruling in February.

"There are people in power who seemed to always cause to stir the peace and order. And in my belief this someone who is causing terror could be the same people behind the massacre that happened in our residence recently," said Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, the governor's widow.

Police have yet to say for certain that politics is the motive.

"There is a recorded... political rivalry in Negros Oriental, as recorded in the latest election. But nothing is definite right now," said Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, the spokesperson of the PNP in Region 7.

"All possible angles are being look upon by the SITG," he added. —Sundy Locus/NB, GMA Integrated News