MANILA, Philippines – Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said around three to four people allegedly planned the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.

“Conspiracy ‘yan, pero may mastermind ‘yan. Ang tingin namin, hanggang tatlo o apat ‘yan na nagkaisa at nagplano at kumuha na lang sila ng tao para sumapi. ‘Yan ang ating pinag-aaralan sa ngayon,” Remulla told reporters on Thursday.

(That’s a conspiracy, but there’s a mastermind. We think there were three or four people who conspired and planned and hired other people to join them. That’s what we’re investigating for now.)

In a separate interview with reporters, he said the alleged masterminds recruited people to implement their plan. The DOJ chief also noted on Thursday that authorities will not reveal the identities of the alleged masterminds yet, but added the crime was “definitely” politically motivated.

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Who is Roel Degamo, the slain Negros Oriental governor?

Negros Oriental’s longtime Governor Degamo, 56, was killed, along with eight others, by armed assailants using long firearms just outside his family’s residential compound in Barangay 9, in Pamplona town on Saturday, March 4. The governor was killed while attending an event for 4Ps beneficiaries.

Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, the late governor’s wife, confirmed that her husband passed away at around 11:41 am on Saturday. Some hours later, three persons were arrested in hot pursuit operations at around 4:20 pm in Sitio Punong, Barangay Kansumalig, Bayawan City.

On Tuesday, March 7, murder and illegal possession of firearms cases were filed against four of the suspects, some of whom are former members of the military. They are now under the National Bureau of Investigation’s custody.

In his interview, Remulla also described Degamo’s killing. The DOJ chief said the governor “seemed” to have been hit during the first volley of gunfire. He fell from his chair, then used a handheld radio to ask for help. Hearing that he was still alive through the radio, the assailants went back to “finish him off,” according to Remulla.

The justice secretary said Degamo sustained a gunshot wound in his chest area – “straight to the heart,” according to Remulla. The DOJ chief added that Degamo seemed to have used his hands to shield himself from the gunshots. – Rappler.com