Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has ended the Senate inquiry on the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight others after getting the testimonies of 80 persons from the province.
Dela Rosa presided over five hearings conducted by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs which he chaired.
Dela Rosa’s committee also looked into the other political killings wherein Degamo and his political rival the Teves clan, have been implicated.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier identified suspended Rep. Arnolfo Teves as the mastermind behind the murder of Degamo.
According to Dela Rosa, he will craft a report and will recommend the abolition of politicians in maintaining private armies.
The senator said he will also propose not to allow policemen and soldiers in active service to be engaged in violence.
During the said Senate inquiry, the allies of Degamo and Teves traded barbs and exchanged accusations.
Some personal matters about Degamo were also raised in the hearing, including the slain governor’s extramarital affairs, but Dela Rosa stopped the witnesses to stop, reasoning that Degamo can no longer defend himself.
Teves earlier said he was willing to participate in the Senate hearings through teleconferencing but was barred as senators acceded to the appeal of the governor’s wife.
The DOJ also did not allow the arrested suspects in the killing of Degamo to face the hearing so as not to jeopardize the ongoing investigation.