Family of slain Negros Oriental governor says they received reports of death threats

The family of slain Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo expressed concern for their safety after they received reports of death threats, according to Chino Gaston’s “24 Oras” report on Tuesday.

Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, wife of the governor, said that they were receiving reports that they will be killed in exchange for money.

“Five million, si governor 50 (million), yung dalawang anak ko siguro yung isang anak ko na board member, at yung nephew ko, tig 10 million yun. So sabi ko, that's not a joke, considering nakita natin anong capacity, capability, skills meron yung gunmen at how much they are willing to spend to get rid of us so the threat is really serious,” she said.

(Five million, the governor’s life costs 50 million, my two children, and my nephew cost 10 million each. So I said, that’s not a joke, considering the capacity, capability, skills the gunmen have and how much are they willing to spend to get rid of us? So the threat is really serious.)

She said the threat to their family and the province of Negros Oriental will never go away until the alleged masterminds behind the killing of the governor will be arrested.

“Hindi lang si Arnie Teves ang mastermind dito sa tingin ko, even si Henry Teves is a mastermind. Bakit po? Saan ba nakuha yung mga explosives, yung mga baril sabi nga nila kahit ang military ng Pilipinas wala nun eh,” she said.

(I think Arnie Teves is not the only mastermind here, even Henry Teves is a mastermind. Why? Where did they get the explosives, the guns, they said that even the Philippine military do not have these.)

Out of the 10 arrested gunmen, only four have been charged. The Department of Justice have yet to file charges against the remaining six suspects after the conduct of a preliminary investigation.

The family of Degamo urged the authorities to look into the vault was placed inside a van that was located within the compound.

It is the suspicion of Degamo’s wife that the P19 million found inside the said vault was part of the money used to hire men to kill her husband.

“If it’s true that my husband's life cost P50 million baka nakuha na ang half (they might get the half of it),” she said.

GMA Integrated News is still asking the side of Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. and his brother former Negros Oriental governor Pryde Henry Teves, as well as their legal counsel.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said that a map of the house and family photos of the slain Negros Oriental governor were found in the possession of one of the suspects 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 the illegal drugs trade.

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.

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.

Teves said their family has encouraged his brother Arnie to return to the Philippines and face the allegations. However, he said Arnie expressed concern for his safety due to threats.

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.

In a separate interview the legal counsel of the arrested suspects, Atty. Michael Mella, 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.) -- Richa Noriega/BAP, GMA Integrated News