Suspects in Degamo slay case lead authorities to find weapons cache

JUST PART OF IT: This photo from the Philippine Army shows a personnel checking the confiscated high-powered firearms and ammunition following a joint operation of the 11th Infantry Battalion and Philippine National Police in Barangay Cansumalig, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental on the early Sunday morning (March 5, 2023).

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Monday said authorities discovered a cache of high-powered firearms and ammunition based on the information provided by the suspects in the fatal shooting of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight other persons.

Police and military seized seven high-powered guns and other war materials on Sunday.

“These arrested suspects provided information that led to the recovery of the large cache of assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, handguns, ammunition, and body armor vests, all believed to have been used in the attack on Governor Degamo’s residence in Municipality of Pamplona,” Azurin said in a statement.

According to Azurin, the Regional Forensic Group for Central Visayas is now examining these recovered weapons and equipment and the three getaway vehicles found abandoned in Barangay Cansumalig, Bayawan City.

The official said the suspects had expressed further cooperation in the investigation.

“The four suspects arrested on Saturday afternoon, barely six hours after the shooting, have expressed willingness to cooperate in the investigation, a public attorney from the DOJ is assisting the suspects in preparing their sworn statements and other legal documents,” he said.

Degamo and eight provincial staff and constituents were killed while 16 others, including three provincial officials, were wounded in a gun attack on the governor’s residence in Pamplona town on Saturday, March 5.

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