Unidentified Gunmen Kill Governor of Negros Oriental, Philippines

(MENAFN) Philippines Governor Roel Degamo, along with five others, was killed by unidentified gunmen in his home on Saturday. Degamo was the governor of Negros Oriental province, and his wife, Janice Degamo, who is the mayor of Pamplona, announced the deaths on social media. She stated that the five others who died with him had come to seek help. According to the provincial police spokesman, Kym Lopez, the gunmen entered the governor's house and opened fire as he was distributing aid to constituents. The condition of the four others who were shot has not been disclosed.

The authorities are now searching for 10 suspects, including six gunmen, who escaped the scene in two SUVs and a pickup truck before abandoning the vehicles in a nearby city. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is an ally of the governor, condemned the attack and warned the attackers to surrender, saying that it would be their best option. He promised to bring the perpetrators to justice, and his government will not rest until justice is served.

The killing of Governor Roel Degamo is the latest in a series of attacks on politicians in the Philippines. At least three politicians have been shot since local elections last year. This February, Mamintal Adiong, governor of the southern province of Lanao del Sur, was shot and wounded in an attack that killed his driver and three police escorts.

Governor Degamo was declared the rightful winner of the election for the Negros Oriental governorship last month by the Supreme Court, following a recount that unseated his local rival. The governor's killing has sent shockwaves across the province, and his supporters are calling for justice to be served. The incident has once again raised concerns about the safety of politicians and their vulnerability to violence in the Philippines.

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