For today's #dailysoup, I'll talk about Roel Degamo, a former governor of Negros Oriental, a province in my country, the Philippines.
He served five terms as governor until his assassination in 2023. However, he was shrouded with controversies.
More info in this 🧵.
1/20
After spending his time as a driver, plant mechanic, and electrical control operator for the National Power Corporation, Degamo became the governor of Negros Oriental in 2011 after former governor Agustin Perdices passed away.
2/20
In December 2011, during Degamo's first tenure as governor, Arnie Teves (the older brother of Degamo's rival, Pryde Henry Teves), together with seven other "guns-for-hire" people, were charged for attempting to assassinate Degamo.
3/20
newsinfo.inquirer.net/104849/board-m…
After Degamo survived the December 2011 attempted assassination, he served the rest of his first term as governor until 2013.
Then, he ran for a second term from 2013-16, a third term from 2016-19, and a fourth term from 2019-22.
4/20
When Degamo was the governor of Negros Oriental, he managed to attain achievements for the province, especially when he initiated projects for the province in the fields of health, education, environment, security, and gender x development.
5/20
pna.gov.ph/articles/10737…
However, besides Degamo's achievements for the province, he also faced controversies.
During his tenures as governor, he received three dismissal orders from the Office of the Ombudsman, and he was involved in a controversial local election in 2022.
6/20
After a 2011 typhoon and a 2012 earthquake struck Negros Oriental, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) sent a fund release order of Php961M to the province.
However, Php480M was deposited to the bank account of the provincial government.
7/20
lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2…
Although Degamo was able to at least use the deposited Php480M to repair his province after the 2011 typhoon, DBM Director Carmela Fernan was informed that the fund release order was "noncompliant", so she issued the withdrawal of the order.
8/20
negor.gov.ph/sendong-damage…
Hence, Director Fernan requested Degamo to return the Php480M to DBM , but he refused to comply.
Then, Degamo awarded 11 infrastructure contracts totaling Php143M, but the COA barred payments for the contracts coz they lacked "certificates of the availability of funds".
9/20
In mid-2016, the Philippine Office of the Ombudsman dismissed Degamo from his gubernatorial position due to "misappropriation of calamity funds" and the "refusal to return the Php480M to the DBM", replacing him with Edward Mark Macias.
10/20
philstar.com/nation/2016/06…
However, Degamo refused to renounce his position as governor, and his supporters barricaded the provincial capitol of Negros Oriental, aiming to block DILG officials from enforcing the dismissal order.
11/20
rappler.com/nation/137169-…
Degamo stayed in his governor's office for six days while his supporters were barricading the provincial capitol, and he secured a temporary restraining order from the Court of Appeals, preventing the dismissal order from activating.
12/20
negor.gov.ph/degamo-holes-u…
Although Degamo managed to come back as Negros Oriental governor for a third term from 2016-19, he was suspended for 90 days in 2017 coz of his pending cases with the DBM.
13/20
gmanetwork.com/news/topstorie…
Then, in the same year, Degamo received another dismissal order due to "alleged misappropriation of Php10M in intelligence funds".
However, Degamo issued another TRO after stating that the case has "no basis since the funds are already settled".
14/20
pna.gov.ph/articles/10216…
In 2021, Degamo filed a petition to declare another candidate named "Ruel Degamo" (Grego Gaudia Degamo) as a nuisance candidate.
However, even if "Ruel Degamo" was declared as a "nuisance candidate", the decision was not final.
15/20
sc.judiciary.gov.ph/33096/
Hence, "Ruel Degamo" still appeared alongside the real Roel Degamo in the May 2022 election polls, in which Pryde Henry Teves, Degamo's opponent, won.
16/20
dumaguete.info/teves-steps-do…
As a response to Teves' victory, Degamo's supporters assembled in the Negros Oriental provincial capitol, aiming to block the new Teves' government from entering.
However, Teves managed to assume office as the next Negros Oriental governor.
17/20
newsinfo.inquirer.net/1619697/defeat…
After Teves won in May 2022, Degamo filed a petition to the Commission on Elections to scrap "Ruel Degamo" and then transfer the votes to Roel Degamo so that he could win.
Then, the "nuisance candidate" court drama continued.
18/20
rappler.com/newsbreak/expl…
In October 2022, Teves' short-lived governor term was annulled as the votes from the "Ruel Degamo" nuisance candidate were transferred in favour of Roel Degamo, winning him another term as governor.
Then, Teves filed an injunction vs. Degamo.
19/20
sunstar.com.ph/article/194327…
In February 14, 2023, the Supreme Court declared Degamo as the real winner, rejecting Teves' injunction filings.
However, a few weeks after the Supreme Court declaration, Degamo was assassinated.
Kindly refer to the thread 👇 for more details.
20/20
Other source(s):
- rappler.com/nation/visayas…
P.S.: Despite all of his past controversies, may Degamo rest in peace in the House of the Creator.
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