MANILA — Three men linked to the 2023 killing of former Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo have been found guilty in separate cases involving the illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives, marking another significant development in one of the Philippines’ most closely watched political killings.
The Regional Trial Court of Manila Branch 40 convicted Joric Garrido Labrador, Joven Calibjo Javier and Benjie Rodriguez after prosecutors established the charges beyond reasonable doubt, according to the Department of Justice.
Labrador was sentenced to 8 to 10 years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. Javier and Rodriguez, meanwhile, were each sentenced to reclusion perpetua for unlawful possession of explosives.
The DOJ said authorities recovered a .45-caliber pistol, two magazines, 14 rounds of live ammunition and two hand grenades from the three men.
The court also upheld the legality of their warrantless arrests. According to the DOJ, the ruling considered the sequence of events following the March 4, 2023 attack, including the review of CCTV footage and the subsequent pursuit of vehicles allegedly used by the suspects.
The court likewise found that the recovered weapons and explosives were properly identified and that the handling of the evidence was sufficiently established through testimony from police officers and other witnesses.
The attack that shocked Negros Oriental
The convictions stem from the deadly attack at Degamo’s residence in Pamplona, Negros Oriental, on March 4, 2023, where the governor was holding an aid distribution activity.
Degamo and nine other people were killed, while dozens more were wounded in the attack. Armed men entered the compound and opened fire, an assault that was captured in security-camera footage and triggered a nationwide investigation into political violence and the use of illegal firearms.
The incident immediately became a major national security and political issue, with authorities pursuing multiple suspects and investigating allegations surrounding the attack.
Why the latest convictions matter
For the families of the victims, the verdicts represent another step toward accountability.
Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Janice Degamo, the widow of the slain governor, previously described the convictions as an important reminder that the justice process continues despite the passage of time.
But there is a crucial distinction: the latest convictions concern illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives. They are separate from the murder cases arising from the deaths of Degamo and the other victims.
That means the latest ruling does not, by itself, settle the central question of who should ultimately be held criminally responsible for the massacre.
What happens next?
The murder prosecution involving the Degamo killings remains a separate proceeding.
Former Negros Oriental lawmaker Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. has been accused by prosecutors of involvement in the alleged assassination plot. Teves has denied involvement in Degamo’s killing.
His acquittal in a separate 2019 murder case earlier this year also does not resolve the Degamo case. The proceedings involving the 2023 Pamplona attack are separate from that earlier case.
The distinction is important because an acquittal or conviction in one criminal case does not automatically determine the outcome of another case involving different charges and evidence.
A verdict, but not yet the final chapter
Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said the latest convictions reinforce the government’s position that those who violate the law must be held accountable.
“Impunity should never triumph over justice,” Vida said, adding that authorities would continue to hold accountable those who transgress the rule of law.
The latest ruling therefore represents a significant legal victory for prosecutors—but it is not the end of the Degamo saga.
Three men now face convictions for weapons and explosives offenses. Two have received reclusion perpetua.
But the larger question surrounding the deaths of Degamo and the other victims remains before the courts.
And that is where the next major chapter of the case could unfold.
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