President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. strongly condemned the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.
“My government will not rest until we have brought the perpetrators of this dastardly and heinous crime to justice. The investigation into this murder is developing rapidly. We have received much information and now have a clear direction on how to proceed to bring to justice those behind this killing.”
“You can run but you cannot hide. We will find you. If you surrender now it will be your best option,” the President added.
Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio said Degamo’s murder “exposes the extent of desperation, depravity, and thirst for violence of the people who masterminded it, as they showed an absolute absence of regard for the lives of the five civilians who were among the fatalities — making it all the more appalling and unforgivable.”
Both leaders of Congress likewise added their voices in condemning the killing.
“This act of violence is reprehensible. This is a direct challenge to the authorities,” said House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the string of attacks on local politicians was “especially alarming.”
“We cannot keep on letting these go on, especially when it puts innocent civilians in the crossfire. Every single incident like this ambush puts a dent on our people’s trust in the government. It is a failure of intelligence, a failure of police visibility, a failure of our peace and security efforts,” Zubiri said.