• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The entire police force of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, was been relieved, in compliance with the order from Camp Crame, PNP Special Investigation Task Group spokesman PLt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare revealed yesterday.
Asked for the reason, Pelare said “this is an operational and tactical decision of the Command. Probably, to make sure that the remaining suspects will be arrested,” referring to the suspects in the slay of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others in an armed attack at his Pamplona residence on March 4.
He noted that all the suspects, who used to be members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, were arrested in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, where another suspects died in a gun battle with pursuing police troopers and Army soldiers.
The getaway vehicles, high powered guns and other war materials allegedly used by the suspects in the attack, were recovered in Bayawan City.
We want to make sure that we have fresh legs in the grounds, to conduct the pursuit operations, Pelare said.
The relieved police force has been temporarily assigned at the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office headquarters, he added.
As to the peace and order situation in Bayawan, Pelare said they have maximum police presence in the city and neighboring areas, as manhunt operations against the remaining five to seven suspects that remain at large, are ongoing.
We assure them that they are safe, and they will be secured in the entire duration of the manhunt operations, he added.
With regard to the ballistic examinations, Pelare reported that there were matches on the ammunition and firearms recovered in Bayawan.
He further said that all owners of the vehicles which were abandoned by the suspects, have already been identified, in coordination with the Land Transportation Office, adding that some vehicles were registered in Cebu.*
