MANILA — The death of another victim in the March 4 bloodbath that killed Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo will not affect the cases pending in court, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Monday.

Over the weekend, the slain governor's camp announced the death of a tenth victim of the so-called "Pamplona massacre," identified as a Fredilino "Putok" Cafe Jr. of the Negros Oriental Provincial Engineering Office.

He died from his injuries more than 2 months since a group of armed men stormed Degamo's private compound in Pamplona, Negros Oriental and shot the late governor and 8 others dead.

• Degamo bloodbath toll climbs to 10 as another victim dies

“It will convert it from 9 multiple murder cases to 10 multiple murder cases,” Remulla said Monday, when asked about the effect of Cafe’s death on the 9 counts of murder charges filed against those behind the killing of Degamo and several others.

Remulla explained prosecutors just need to file an amendment in court to amend the information or criminal charges.

ON RAPS VS. TEVES

Not included yet among the accused in these cases is the alleged “main mastermind,” suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr., who remains out of the country.

No less than the Justice chief himself bared Teves’ alleged role as “executive producer” in Degamo’s killing, claiming several accused identified him as the one who allegedly ordered the assassination.

Remulla had earlier said the National Bureau of Investigation was expected to file the multiple murder complaints against Teves before the Department of Justice last week.

But the Justice chief was in the United States to accompany the President in his state visit last week.

On Monday, he again said he hopes the raps will be filed “this week.”

“We’re looking at this week to finish it. I just had a meeting this afternoon with one of the prosecutors asking him about the progress of the cases and they just want to firm up everything before their filing of the cases against Congressman Teves,” he said.

Remulla also said he was unfazed by claims from the Teves camp that the lack of evidence might be the reason for the delayed filing of charges against the embattled legislator.

“Marami hong ebidensya. Wag siyang mag-alala, the evidence is very tight here with us,” he said.

“It’s just that the information is very much what we can call voluminous. Talagang marami talagang information na nandyan, marami talagang mga factual matters na kino-consider sa ganitong klaseng kaso kasi pinag-uusapan mo dito ay mahigit 10 suspek at mahigit 20 biktima," Remulla said.

"So yung permutation mo roon, 200 cases kaagad. Hindi ganun kadali yun isalansan, especially it’s a conspiracy. There’s a principal by inducement and hindi ho ganun kasimple yan. We have to study it properly before we file it."

Eleven individuals have been charged in court with multiple murder, frustrated and attempted murder cases, including the alleged “director/casting director” Marvin Miranda, who allegedly organized the actual killing on Teves’ orders.

Teves has denied the allegations.

• Alleged mastermind in Degamo slay faces multiple murder raps
• DOJ begins process for designating Rep. Teves Jr. as 'terrorist'

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