Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo | Inquirer file photo
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) said that none of the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) were harmed when armed men attacked Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo outside of his home on Saturday morning.
In a statement released Saturday night, March 4, DSWD-7 said that the venue of the registration of potential 4Ps beneficiaries initiated by personnel of the Central Visayas Field Office was held in Barangay Poblacion, which is “far from the incident site.”
A payout was held at the Degamo residence for clients who were requesting for medical assistance from the provincial government.
“The DSWD Field Office VII immediately stopped the registration to ensure the safety of the public and will resume once cleared by the Philippine National Police,” part of the agency’s statement read.
An earlier report said that Degamo was attending to his constituents and some 4Ps beneficiaries outside of his residence in Barangay San Isidro in Pamplona when the armed men arrived and fired shots at him.
At least eight civilians were also killed during the incident.
DSWD-7 has expressed its condolences to the Degamo family.
At the same time, the agency said that as soon as they received a list of the other casualties, they will be coordinating with other partner agencies “to identify appropriate assistance that can be extended to the families of the victims.”
Meanwhile, Governor Aris Aumentado said in a social media post that he and the entire province of Bohol shared in the grief of the Degamo family and the people of Negros Oriental. At the same time, they also condemn Governor Degamo’s killing.
Aumentado said that Degamo was a fellow Bol-anon, who has several relatives in their province.
“Ato usab siyang nakauban sa pipila ka mga higayon, ilabi na niadtong pinakaulahing Central Visayas Regional Development Council meeting sa niaging tuig (nisalmot siya pinaagi sa teleconferencing),” said Aumentado.
(We also were with him in several occasions, especially in the latest Central Visayas Regional Development Council meeting last year (he joined through teleconferencing.))
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