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5 more Degamo suspects formally recant affidavits, bringing total to 10

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Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. Photo from Governor Roel Ragay Degamo Facebook page" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/05/24/20230304-degamo-roel-3.jpg"/><figcaption>Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. Photo from Governor Roel Ragay Degamo Facebook page</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Five more suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo formally recanted their earlier statements before a Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors on Monday.John Louie Gonyon, Eulogio Gonyon, Jr., Winrich Isturis, Joric Labrador and Bengie Rodriguez affirmed their affidavits of recantation through a videoconference, according to lawyers who attended the preliminary investigation hearing. Five other suspects — Rogelio Antipolo, Jr., Romel Pattaguan, Dahniel Lora, Osmundo Rivero and Joven Javier — earlier recanted their statements on Tuesday last week. All 10 of them, along with alleged mastermind Marvin Miranda, are facing murder charges in court over the March 4, 2023 killing of Degamo inside his residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.Miranda, however, did not execute any affidavit.The 10 accused-witnesses who recanted were summoned to testify as the DOJ panel probes the involvement of suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr. in Degamo’s killing. Teves, who remains outside the country, was represented by lawyers Ferdinand Topacio, Jr., Andres Manuel and Edward Santiago.Manuel said the recantations are important for Teves as it will cast doubt on the viability of the case against him.“Well, at least magkakaroon kami ng sapat na basehan para kwestiyunin yung kaso na isinampa laban kay Cong. Teves. Katulad ng mga sinabi namin noong nakaraan, naka-angkla yung main case o yung kasong ito sa mga statements ng nag-recant. So kung wala na yung sampu na nag-recant, sa paniniwala namin ay sapat iyon para maging katanungan kung tama pa ba na ituloy, tama pa ba na kasuhan si Congressman ng kasong ito,” he said.For Topacio, the recantation of the 10 accused-witnesses means the prosecution no longer has any witness against his client.“Ngayon kung may circumstantial evidence sila, as we know, without testimonial evidence directly linking Congressman Teves, without the confession, ay mahina po ang kaso. Ngayon, malalaman natin kung gaano ka-independent ang panel kung, notwithstanding the 10 recantations, at no other evidence linking Cong. Teves and no confessions from the supposed suspects ay magfa-file pa rin sila ng kaso,” he said.“If they file this in court, well, we cannot help but it will just be part of the prestidigitation. Talagang magic na lang yan,” he added.Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla previously said they still have enough evidence against Teves, not limited to testimonies from witnesses.Lawyer Levito Baligod, who represents the Degamo family and other victims, earlier presented DNA examination results to show that the DNA samples recovered from the crime scene and the getaway vehicle supposedly matched those taken from the suspects.<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Sbpxqg7dpa0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/15/23/questions-raised-over-dna-analysis-results-in-degamo-slay">Inadmissible? Questions raised over DNA analysis results in Degamo slay</a></li></ul>Aside from Teves, 5 other individuals were named as co-respondents.One is the pilot of the helicopter that was supposedly used by some of the accused-witnesses to escape to Mindanao.Two siblings allegedly acted as lookout while another person was supposedly the security personnel of Teves’ brother, former Governor Henry Pryde Teves.Following editorial guidelines, ABS-CBN News is withholding their names until they are able to address the allegations against them.All of them are required to submit their counter-affidavits during the next preliminary investigation.“July 17, we’ll be filing the necessary pleading or counteraffidavit, as the case may be, based doon sa sinubmit na affidavit of recantation and pieces of evidence,” Paris Real, the lawyer for the helicopter pilot said.But will Teves personally appear to submit his counter-affidavit on July 17?“Ah, that remains to be seen,” said Manuel, his lawyer, who added that they are also considering filing another pleading.The NBI also submitted USBs and clear copies of documents on Monday while one of the complainants submitted a corrected affidavit.Meanwhile, Teves’ lawyers said they will appeal the prosecution panel’s denial of Teves’ motion for inhibition.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/27/23/doj-panel-junks-teves-bid-for-prosecutors-to-inhibit-from-degamo-probe">DOJ panel denies Teves’ motion to inhibit; gives him until July 17 to submit counteraffidavit</a></li></ul>“Hihingi kami ng reconsideration nung order of the denial of our inhibition kasi we want to get clarified doon sa ginamit na basehan ng panel doon sa aming motion for inhibition,” Manuel said.Topacio clarified that the motion for inhibition was directed not at the prosecution panel but at the leadership of the DOJ, whom he accused of prejudging the complaint.Remulla and other Justice officials have said the DOJ is an executive body, not a court, which does not have the duty to be impartial — an argument Topacio rejected.“Any government agency has to be impartial, whether the tribunal or forum is administrative, quasi-judicial or judicial. Basta gobyerno po, dapat impartial, at least ang DOJ at the preliminary investigation level,” he said.“Otherwise, kung ano na lang sasabihin ng Secretary of Justice, yun na lang ang gawin di ba? Why go through the rigors of a preliminary investigation, di ba? Ibig sabihin naglolokohan lang pala kami dito,” he added.RELATED VIDEO<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2691049" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Five more suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo formally recanted their earlier statements before a Department of Justice.

5 more Degamo suspects formally recant affidavits, bringing total to 10

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5 more Degamo suspects formally recant affidavits, bringing total to 10

Mike Navallo,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 03, 2023 04:45 PM PHT

Read More:

Degamo slay

Degamo

Roel Degamo

Teves

Arnolfo Teves

crime

Remulla

DOJ

Department of Justice

ANC

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