Three men who were arrested within hours of the March 4, 2023 attack on the Pamplona residence of former Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo have been found guilty of weapons and explosives offenses, with two of them receiving the heaviest prison sentence allowed under Philippine law. The verdicts, announced by the Department of Justice this week, represent the first court-rendered convictions directly connected to the evidence seized following the deadly assault.
The DOJ said in a press release issued Tuesday that the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 40 pronounced Joric Garrido Labrador, Joven Calibjo Javier, and Benjie Rodriguez guilty on separate counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition under Section 28 of Republic Act No. 10591 — the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act — and unlawful possession of explosives under Section 3 of Presidential Decree No. 1866, as amended by Republic Act No. 9516.
Sentences Handed Down by Manila Court
According to the DOJ press release, Labrador was sentenced to a prison term of eight to ten years for the unlawful firearm and ammunition charge. His two co-accused, Javier and Rodriguez, received reclusion perpetua — covering a term of 20 to 40 years — for unlawful possession of explosives. Reclusion perpetua stands as the most severe penalty that Philippine courts may impose following the country's abolition of the death penalty.
Weapons Found Shortly After the Shooting
The DOJ reported that law enforcement units responded immediately after receiving word of the shooting at Degamo's compound in Pamplona. During the subsequent investigation, authorities seized a .45 caliber pistol, two magazines loaded with ammunition, 14 live rounds, and two hand grenades from the three accused.
All three men are former soldiers who had already been discharged from military service prior to the attack. They were taken into custody in Bayawan City within hours of the shooting, according to the department's account of events.
Court Upholds Legality of Arrests and Evidence
The defense mounted a legal challenge against the warrantless nature of the arrests and raised questions about how the seized items were handled and documented. The court, however, rejected both arguments.
In its ruling, the Regional Trial Court of Manila, Branch 40 held that the arrests were lawful, describing the circumstances as an unbroken chain of events — from the shooting itself, to the review of CCTV footage, to the pursuit of the vehicles used by the suspects as they fled the scene. On that basis, the court ruled that both charged offenses had been proven beyond reasonable doubt, and that the chain of custody over the recovered items was sufficiently established through the testimonies of police officers and other witnesses, the DOJ explained.
DOJ Secretary Issues Warning on Impunity
DOJ Secretary Fredderick A. Vida used the occasion of the verdicts to deliver a firm public statement. "Impunity should never triumph over justice. We shall hold accountable anyone who transgresses the rule of law," Vida was quoted as saying in the department's official press release. His remarks signal that the DOJ intends to pursue all remaining cases arising from the Pamplona attack with equal resolve.
Murder Cases Still Awaiting Resolution
The guilty verdicts cover only the weapons and explosives charges. The murder cases connected to the same incident — involving multiple counts of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder — remain pending before a different Manila court and have yet to be resolved.
The March 4, 2023 attack claimed the lives of Degamo and nine other individuals who had gathered at his compound in Pamplona to receive assistance. More than a dozen others were wounded in the assault, making it one of the deadliest political attacks in the Philippines in recent years.
Negros Oriental Third District Representative Janice Degamo, the widow of the slain governor, was the first to make the convictions public, sharing the news through a Facebook post on the evening of September 3. She described the verdicts as a meaningful reminder that justice, however delayed, does not relent.
Teves Remains Detained; Earlier Acquittal Treated as Separate Matter
Former Negros Oriental Third District Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr., whom prosecutors have tagged as the alleged mastermind behind the Pamplona attack, continues to be held in detention. In January 2026, Manila RTC Branch 15 acquitted Teves and two co-accused in an entirely separate 2019 murder case originating in Dumaguete City, after granting their demurrer to evidence.
The DOJ clarified at that time that the acquittal had no effect on the Degamo-related prosecution, which is being handled independently by a different branch of the court, the department said in prior statements.
By the Numbers
- 10 — people killed in the March 4, 2023 attack on Degamo's Pamplona compound, including the governor himself
- 3 — accused convicted by Manila RTC Branch 40 on firearms and explosives charges
- 2 — of the three convicted men sentenced to reclusion perpetua for unlawful possession of explosives
- 8 to 10 years — prison term imposed on Labrador for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition
- 14 — live rounds of ammunition recovered from the accused, along with a .45 caliber pistol, two magazines, and two hand grenades
- January 2026 — when Manila RTC Branch 15 acquitted Teves in the unrelated 2019 Dumaguete City murder case
Why This Matters
These guilty verdicts are the first to be handed down by any court in direct connection with physical evidence recovered from the March 2023 Pamplona attack, which stands as one of the most politically significant acts of violence in the Philippines in recent memory. The rulings also establish a legal precedent affirming that the warrantless arrests made in the immediate aftermath of the shooting were valid and that the integrity of the seized evidence was properly maintained. With the far weightier murder and frustrated murder cases still pending, the DOJ's track record in this prosecution will be closely watched as proceedings move forward.
Source: Department of Justice / DOJ Philippines, as reported by Balita — breakingnewsnegror.com