Negros Oriental province sets up Capitol big screen for Degamo funeral

DUMAGUETE, Philippines – The Negros Oriental provincial government on Thursday, March 16 set up a big screen on the grounds of the Capitol for the thousands of residents who were not able to get on buses ferrying mourners to slain governor Roel Degamo’s funeral mass and burial in Brgy Bayawon, Sitaton town.

The government also started a live stream on the province’s page.

Thousands of all ages and genders waited for hours at the capitol grounds, and then jostled for space in more than a dozen buses that came and left for mourners. Officials kept order, giving priority seats to senior citizens.

Government-sponsored buses were the best option for residents as security has been very tight since the last night of his wake.

Officials have said they are still hunting other members of the armed band that killed Degamo and eight others during an attack on March 4 as he was meeting constituents and some local government officials in his Pamplona residence.

Frequent police checkpoints slow down traffic but officials have said they want to ensure the safety of at least 10,000 people that had stayed overnight in Siaton.

They will be joined by thousands more for the two-kilometer walk from the Degamo family compound to the Bayawon Catholic Church.

After the Mass, the Degamo family will return his remains to be interred in a pavilion at the backyard of their residence, beside his mother,  Luzveminda Ragay Degamo, and sister, Gina Degamo Estrella.

Cellular phone signals in the town are spotty at best for users of all telecommunication brands.

Police were tight-lipped with information, especially on important politicians coming or clergy who will officiate in a 2 pm Requiem Mass.

The arrest of four men several hours after the March 4 killing led to the seizure of powerful firearms that law enforcers said matched the weapons used in the attack.

Law enforcers also said they found explosives from the arrested men and a fifth suspect slain during pursuit operations. A joint police-military task force set up to investigate the killing said the slain suspect was a former rebel.

Tensions in Negros Oriental prompted the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, March 14 to grant the request of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla to transfer the cases related to the killing of Degamo to a Manila court. -Rappler.com