DOJ looking into more than 10 reports of killings in Negros Oriental

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is looking into more than 10 reports of killings in Negros Oriental, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Friday.
 
Remulla, who visited the wake of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo on Wednesday, previously said officials were seeing a “pattern of impunity” in the province.
 
“I think that a lot of people are coming out with information about past cases, but we have to process them properly. We have to look at the evidence. We have to look at the statements. But we’ll look at them one by one,” Remulla said in an ambush interview.
 
“Kasi ano to eh, ito yung mga reklamong dumating sa amin nung pumunta kami sa wake (We received the complaints when we went to the wake). And they informed us about what was happening in Negros Oriental, in Bayawan City, in Dumaguete, and other areas,” he added.

In a separate ambush interview, Remulla said the individuals they interviewed following the wake complained about political violence.

“I will not name names but the political violence is what they were complaining about, the violence related to politics. And, of course, the word impunity comes in,” Remulla said.
 
Degamo and five others were shot dead in broad daylight while he was distributing aid to his constituents at his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, on March 4. Several others were critically wounded in the attack, and the following day the death toll had climbed to nine.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos has already ordered the replacement of all police personnel in Negros Oriental, starting with Bayawan City, following the killing of Degamo.

On Tuesday, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group filed three murder complaints against Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. before the DOJ for allegedly masterminding killings in 2019.

On Friday, police conducted raids on five houses, some of which belonged to Teves, in search for loose firearms. Abalos said the police operation was connected to the killings in 2019.

The raid on the houses was launched a day after two suspects pointed to a certain “Cong Teves” as the one who allegedly ordered the assassination of Degamo.

Teves has denied involvement in the killing of Degamo, and his camp has said that he will face the murder allegations against him for the 2019 killings. — VBL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News