Terror reigns in Negros Oriental, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, chair of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, said Friday, as the chamber continued its hearing into the assassination of the province’s governor Roel Degamo.
From one person’s story to the next, Dela Rosa noted there appeared tobe a discernible pattern.
“It seemed the saying was once again proven to be true – violence cannot help but breed even more violence,” he added.
The former national police chief is leading the Senate investigation into the murder of Gov. Degamo and other killings where suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. was tagged as the mastermind.
Dela Rosa said: “It would seem there was an agreement and arrangement how to commit a crime and how to kill without being arrested, among lawless elements within the Provincial Government.”
He noted the violence in Negros Oriental had taken both small-scale and large-scale forms.
“Large-scale, in the sense that public officials like Miguel Dungog, Sherwin Lee Diangco’s father “Biyok” and Governor Roel Degamo getgunned down, sometimes even in broad daylight, and even in their own homes. Even journalists were not spared,” he said.
“But there was small-scale violence. These were the seemingly little rejections, seemingly minor acts of omission,” he added.
The wife of the slain governor, Mayor Janice Degamo pointed out the culture of violence and silence must end.
She believes violence can only persist in silence, which means a refusal to stay silent is one sure step to address violence, whatever form it may take.
The Degamo camp also backs the Department of Justice in moving to designate Rep. Teves as a terrorist.
According to Levito Baligod, lawyer of the Degamo family, they have “concrete evidence” linking Teves to terror groups in Mindanao.
“We have concrete evidence to prove that he is… in a tactical alliance with the communist terrorist group and the local terrorist groups in Mindanao,” he told ANC’s “Headstart”.
The Teves camp has yet to respond to Baligod’s allegation.
Baligod said Police Col. Hansel Marantan requested for an executive session during a Senate hearing to divulge certain information against the lawmaker.
Marantan, former chief of the Criminal Investigation and DetectionGroup in the National Capital Region, led the implementation of searchwarrants at Teves’ residence in Negros Oriental.
“What I can tell you now is that the signature of IEDs (improvised explosive devices) recovered from the sugar central have the same bomb signature as that used by the NPA (New People’s Army) and other terrorist groups in Mindanao,” Baligod said.
“Col. Marantan is in possession of an affidavit of former member ofBIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) that details the connection,” he added.
In March, police found IEDs buried at the sugar mill compound owned byTeves’ younger brother, former Negros Oriental Governor Pryde Henry Teves.
For Baligod, designating the embattled lawmaker as a terrorist is a stronger approach to forcing his return to the Philippines.
“He is staying most of the time in Cambodia. Now, it would be verydifficult for the Philippine government to take jurisdiction over his person because of that… legal impediment,” he said.
Baligod said the DOJ is working on applying for a blue notice against Teves Jr.
“Once he is in the blue notice, all countries will be duly notified and to monitor his activities and whereabouts wherever he may be. If he is included in the red notice, any country can effect arrest against him,” he added.
The DOJ previously said that Teves was considered one of the masterminds in the assassination of Degamo and eight others.
The lawmaker said he and his clan had nothing to do with the crime.
Teves has yet to return to the country, more than a month since his travel clearance expired.