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JV Ejercito slams NegOr police for failing to foil Degamo slay plot despite intel reports

April 18, 2023

Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Tuesday blasted local police officials for failing to crack down on private armies mobilizing against Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo despite receiving initial reports of a possible assassination plot against the local chief executive.   

“Meron na palang initial intelligence reports. Anong ginawa nila? This shouldn’t have happened. They should have augmented the security (personnel) of Governor Degamo given the assassination threats on his person,” Ejercito said during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs.

Yesterday, representatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP) admitted that local police officers received initial intelligence reports of a possible plot against Degamo and prepared for the application of a search warrant against a certain “main suspect.” .

However, the said application experienced delays since the PNP was “busy” with other concerns.

Moreover, instead of increasing Degamo’s security personnel, the lawmaker from San Juan said local police officials allowed one of the two guards assigned to Degamo on March 4 – the day of his assassination – to take a leave.

“Nakakapagtaka, parang too much of a coincidence, bakit iisa lang ang nagreport? Talagang walang kalaban-laban. Nakita niyo naman, pagpasok, wala man lang nakaputok. No resistance at all. Mayroon talagang failure dito,” he said.

Ejercito also lamented the failure of the PNP to fully utilize its intelligence funds to dismantle existing private armies and prevent killings against local officials such as Degamo.

“Sana wag naman isipin ng PNP na sila ang sinisisi natin. That is part of our oversight function [...] I was the one who defended the budget of PNP for several years. We have supported the PNP in terms of equipment, vehicles, lahat po. You can attest, Senator Bato, na nung time na nagdefend tayo, doon pinakamaraming kagamitan nabili ang PNP,” he said.

“Nakakasakit ng loob. Intelligence fund, almost P800 million. Sa AFP, almost P1.5 billion. Paano ito ginagamit? Saan ginagamit ang intelligence fund? If there were already initial reports of that assassination attempt, bakit walang ginawa yung regional at yung provincial office?” he added. 

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