Degamo’s house map, family photos recovered from suspect in raid —PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said that a map of the house and family photos of slain Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo were found in possession of a suspect arrested during a raid in a compound owned by former Governor Henry Pryde Teves.

According to a report of Sam Nielsen on Super Radyo dzBB, the suspect identified as Nigel Electona was a former police patrolman dismissed from service in 2017 due to alleged involvement in illegal drugs.

Electona was one of the suspects arrested during a raid at the sugar mill compound, HDJ Tolong, in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental on March 24. Several firearms and ammunition were seized.

After serving the search warrant in the compound, police also went to the house of Electona, where they found the photos of Degamo’s family and the map of their house in Pamplona.

“Ito po ay nagamit during the planning stage. Ito nga pong si Nigel. Kasama po siya at isa sa mga tumulong dun po sa mga gunmen during the casing and surveillance,” Philippine National Police (PNP) Police Colonel spokesperson Colonel Fajardo said in Marisol Abdurahman’s “24 Oras” report on Tuesday.

“Based sa informant ay marami talagang baril tong si  Henry Pryde Teves na ibinaon doon sa kanyang property. May tripod, may scope at hindi naman ibabaon ito eh kung hindi guilty yung isang tao, hindi ibabaon ito. At mostly nang nakuha namin walang serial number,” CIDG director Police Brigadier General Romeo Caramat said.

The CIDG said some of the guns have been used in previous killings in the province.

Michael Mella, legal counsel of the arrested suspects, said they were innocent against accusation pertaining to illegal possession of firearms.

“Wala [silang] kasalanan. At ako naman bilang abogado, obligasyon ko na protektahan ang kanilang mga karapatan kung ano man ang maikaso po sa kanila,” Mella said.

(They are innocent. As a lawyer, it is my obligation to protect their rights against charges.)

Meanwhile, the arrested suspect declined to make a comment on his relationship with the former governor.

On March 4, Degamo and five others were killed while several others were injured in the attack that was pulled off while the governor was distributing aid to his constituents at his residence in Pamplona. The death toll later increased to nine.

In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, Teves was asked about items recovered from the house of Electona. 

“If that is the case, I think he (Electona) should answer to that,” Teves said.

He also clarified that Electona was not the security officer of the compound but he “is the licensee of the security agency that I gave a contract to supply security services to the mill.”

According to Teves, Electona requested “to use one of the abandoned houses outside the compound but within the land property to live there.”

Teves added that Electona's family owned the property close to the sugar mill.

Teves said Electona sold the land to his brother,  suspended Negros Oriental Representative Arnie Teves.

“After we purchased it, Arnie requested me to give back a favor to Nigel for him to have a decent living. What he said was he wanted to build a security agency,” Teves said.

“That is the relationship,” he added.

Teves said the compound security chief earlier told him that the security agency has not renewed its juridical License To Own and Possess Firearm (LTOPF).

“Sinabi niya, 'Sir, may problema tayo. I think we have to find a new agency because yung agency namin hindi naka-renew ng juridical LTOPF,” he said.

Teves said he advised them to surrender their loose firearms.

The former governor said he was surprised that authorities found a van containing guns and money in the compound. He said somebody told him that the van came from a resort owned by his sibling.

“Dinala ng mga awtoridad. Sabi ko, ipadala niyo yan, hindi naman yan sa atin,” he said, adding that the legal owner of the van should be answerable for what was found inside it.

On Monday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Arnie is among those being considered as mastermind in the killing of Degamo.

Teves said their family has encouraged Arnie to return to the Philippines and face the allegations.

However, he said Arnie expressed concern for his safety due to threats.

“Sinabi ko naman kung ang Presidente mismo ang mag-assure sayo, he is the most powerful person in the land, and I believe he will not embarrass himself and do otherwise,” Teves said.

Teves said he has prepared a waiver for the Department of Justice to check all his phone logs, emails, communications, as well as his bank accounts, records, and transactions in case authorities have doubts on him and to clear his name.

“I am not hiding, I will not hide, I will not run,” Teves said in Fe Marie Dumaboc’s GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak report aired in “24 Oras” report on Tuesday.

“Phone logs, Everything. What is my capability, what my meager possessions are, what my bank accounts, how much do I have, when there are suspects, there are links to who ordered or what, and those links are vital to connect, that is why I am subjecting my information, I will waive it so that they can open everything up,” he added.—With Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA Integrated News