JV Ejercito tells AFP, PNP to disband private armies across PH
March 14, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Monday
urged the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National
Police (PNP) to dismantle all existing private armies \throughout the country.
Ejercito said the suspects in the recent
assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo used “sophisticated”
firearms and showed signs of advanced training in close-quarter combat.
“I’m hoping that with the deployment of troops
and Philippine National Police personnel, the government can already catch and
apprehend all of these killers. What is more important is to disband private
armies all around the country. The way that Governor Degamo was killed, it was
well-funded,” he said.
“The equipment used and the firearms were
sophisticated and expensive. At the same time, you can see the movement of
those assailants. You can see that they underwent close-quarter battle
training. Very coordinated,” he added.
On March 4, Degamo, along with eight others,
was shot dead inside his Pamplona home while facilitating the payout of medical
assistance for clients of the provincial government.
So far, the PNP has arrested four individuals
allegedly involved in the said shooting. Authorities are still hunting down
four or five other suspects.
Ejercito said he supports the increased
deployment of troops in Negros Oriental until the peace and order situation in
the province is stabilized.
“Until the government is able to dismantle or
neutralize these armed elements, I support the deployment of troops and PNP so
that order can once again be restored in the province of Negros Oriental,” he
said.
However, the lawmaker from San Juan asked the
PNP to launch an investigation on the alleged absence of five out of six guards
assigned to Degamo.
“These five should be investigated for
conspiring with the mastermind. Hindi ito nagkataon,” he said in a tweet on
March 11.
The Senator considers Degamo a close friend.
He and several other lawmakers from the Upper Chamber visited the late
Governor’s wake early last week.
