After killing of political ally Degamo...

PAGE 1 entirely unacceptable and it will not stand… This cannot be — this cannot go unpunished,” the president added.

So far, police have arrested three suspects and have brought them for inquest for multiple criminal raps in provincial prosecution offices.

The Department of Justice, however, it intends to transfer the respondents to Manila for protective custody.

In an ambush interview earlier Monday, DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano also said the department is considering referring two of the charged to the Witness Protection Program.

“But we still need to evaluate their statements to assess and if we determine that their testimony is valuable or has basis, we can enter them into the WPP of the DOJ,” he added in Filipino.

‘Purely political’

Former politicians have also been killed since the start of his administration, but Marcos said those may not be rooted in politics. He considers Degamo’s case, on the other hand, “purely political.”

“Actually if you think of the three cases that first came, they are different, but then they started to become political,” he said.

Degamo was killed weeks after Aparri, Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda was ambushed in Nueva Vizcaya. Police probers have remained tight-lipped on the motive behind the killing of the Negros Oriental governor as they stressed that investigation and hot pursuit operations are ongoing.

Marcos, meanwhile, stressed that the government will give protection to those who need it and “anybody who feels aggrieved.”

“Emotions are running high.

I’ve asked our... Army and police, and between them, keep your presence known, felt,” he added.

Teves denies hand

Degamo, 56, is the latest target in the Philippines' long history of attacks on politicians. He is at least the third to be shot since last year's general election.

The Supreme Court last month declared him the rightful winner of the contest for the Negros