Slain Negros Oriental governor’s wife regrets lax security despite threats

 (ROEL DEGAMO FACEBOOK PHOTO/CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

MANILA, Philippines — The wife of slain Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo has expressed regrets about their relaxed security protocols, which made it easy for armed men to enter their compound and gun down the public official and some of his constituents Saturday morning.

Pamplona, Negros Oriental Mayor Janice Degamo, in an interview on ABS-CBN News’ Kabayan radio program on Monday said that they received several threats over the past months, particularly when the late governor was about to take his oath of office.

Mayor Degamo was inside the house while the governor was meeting with his constituents  the shooting took place.

“Actually totoo po ‘yan, kung maalala natin there was a time that several ammunitions loaded in an X-Trail was intercepted in Kalibo, may nag-tip kay governor noon na ‘you know Governor, those guns are for you, ikaw ang target niyan’,” Degamo said.

(Actually that’s true, if we can remember there was a time when several ammunition loaded on a vehicle was intercepted in Kalibo, someone tipped the governor saying that ‘you know Governor, those guns are for you, you are its target’.)

“No’ng mag-oath taking na sana si governor, marami rin nag-iinform sa kanya na ‘Governor, be careful’, no’ng pabalik na siya.  Kaya nga parang na-ano rin ako, I feel bad dahil parang sabi ko nag-lapse, parang may security lapse ba na nangyari doon, kasi nga meron din kaming mga bagay na narealize katulad ‘yong gate, very near the area where he was accepting or receiving guests,” she added.

(When he took his oath of office, several people tol him that ‘Governor, be careful.’  I feel bad because I said there were lapses, security lapses that happened there, we realized a lot of things like the gate was very, very near the area where he was accepting or receiving guests,” she added.

Mayor Degamo said they realized the lapses too late.

“Kaya sabi ko ngayon lang namin na-realize no, ang lapit ng gate doon sa area na tumatanggap siya ng bisita.  Kaya nanghinayang pero wala na eh, tapos na,” she noted.

(We only realized it now, that the gate was very near  the area where he accepts visitors.  I have regrets, but it already happened.)

 According to the Pamplona Mayor, the protocol at their residence where the governor was receiving guests was to leave firearms with the security official at the gate, before being allowed to enter.

That day, the governor already had 60 groups to talk to, which led the security official to stop the group — Degamo’s killers.  However, the group barged in and conducted the attack.

 Mayor Degamo said the incident lasted less than a minute.

 Governor Degamo was just in the fourth month of his term, after the Commission on Elections proclaimed him as winner of the gubernatorial race in Negros Oriental last October 2022.

This was because Degamo was not the initially-proclaimed winner during the last May 2022 elections.   

Pryde Henry Teves was initially declared winner in the May 2022 elections.  The Commission on Elections, however, nullified Teves’ victory  and credited the votes earned by a nuisance candidate – Ruel Degamo – to Roel, who eventually ended up cornering more votes.

Last month,  the Supreme Court upheld the victory of Degamo over Teves.

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