Army deploys more soldiers in Negros Oriental after Degamo slay

The Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion has deployed more soldiers in Negros Oriental following the killing of Governor Roel Degamo on March 4.

The deployment was made to secure parts of the province as the hunt continues for the killers of Degamo, based on GMA News’ Chino Gaston’s tweet.

In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Visayas Command said the troops were composed of personnel from the six Army Battalions in Negros Island: the 11th Infantry Battalion; 94th Infantry Battalion; 79th Infantry Battalion; 62nd Infantry Battalion; 15th Infantry Battalion, and the 47th Infantry Battalion.

They will be deployed in the 3rd and 2nd districts of Negros Oriental to “step up the joint law enforcement operation in the province.”

According to Gaston and Emil Sumangil's report on 24 Oras Weekend, one of the places where Army presence increased is in the Degamo bastion of Siaton.

The Army is also still looking for other possible suspects in Degamo’s murder who may still be hiding in the mountainous areas of Negros Oriental and possibly in Negros Occidental.

Philippine Army still hunting for other possible suspects in Degamo slay who may still be hiding in the mountainous areas of Negros Oriental and possibly Negros Occidental. pic.twitter.com/xex3qGjFZI

— Chino Gaston (@chinogaston) March 12, 2023

AFP Visayas Command commander Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo said that these troops will be working with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to intensify the joint law enforcement efforts to capture the remaining suspects in Degamo’s murder.

“The deployment also aims to ease the tension in the province, so as to encourage witnesses to come out, including the witnesses of previous unsolved killing incidents,” he said.

“There will be no letup in our security efforts with the PNP. As mentioned by Senior Undersecretary Galvez Jr., this is the day of reckoning, and we will never falter in our efforts to enforce the full might of the law and restore peace and order in the entire Negros Island,” he added.

Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Friday that the AFP would deploy more military personnel in Negros Island to address lawless violence and restore peace following the killing of Degamo.

He said the soldiers will also help the police cordon off the area to prevent the suspects from leaving the island.

A gun ban has been imposed, and checkpoints and barricades have been set up throughout the province. The local government also said residents have nothing to worry about because this was simply a precaution to improve security.

Degamo was talking to beneficiaries of the government's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) program at his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, when armed men barged in and fired shots.

The governor and five others were killed in the shooting incident. The death toll went up to nine the following day, while 13 others were seriously injured due to the incident.

Three suspects were arrested during a hot pursuit operation in Bayawan City on March 4, while one other suspect died in an alleged encounter with authorities in the province.

Another suspect was arrested on March 5.

The PNP said Saturday the special task force created to pursue the remaining suspects in the killing of Degamo believes that they are “nearing the solution of the case” given the pieces of evidence gathered. —KG/BM, GMA Integrated News