THE PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) on Monday gave reassurance of keeping Negros Oriental secure as the manhunt continues for more suspects in the killing of the province’s governor and eight civilians in broad daylight.
“We will continue to conduct joint checkpoints and border control operations to ensure that Negros Oriental is secured while hot pursuit is ongoing,” PNP chief Rodolfo S. Azurin told a livestreamed news briefing.
Gov. Roel R. Degamo and eight others died while 15 others were wounded when armed men opened fire in his residential compound, where cash aid was being distributed under a social service program on March 4.
Mr. Azurin said the police is coordinating with the Philippine Army as some of the suspects are ex-military officers.
Four suspects were arrested last week, two of whom tagged a Negros Oriental representative as the mastermind behind the governor’s killing.
“We are very confident that the remaining suspects of the Degamo murder cases are still lurking in Negros Oriental,” the police chief said.
At a separate news briefing, Interior Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. said a total of 17 cases have been filed in relation to Mr. Degamo’s murder.
“It’s hard to give a timeframe for when we can solve this case, but we already have leads,” he said in Filipino.
TOP OFFICERS
Meanwhile, more than half of senior police officers have been assessed by the five-man team that is looking into the records of high-ranking cops who may be involved in the illegal drug trade, said Mr. Azurin, who heads the committee.
He said recommendations from the review have been submitted to the Office of the President.
“It would be premature if we release the results of our investigation without the president’s approval, so we just have to wait for this,” Mr. Azuruin said.
In January, Mr. Abalos called on all police colonels and generals to resign after a probe found many top police officers were involved in the illegal drug trade. — John Victor D. Ordoñez