MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to “dismantle private armies” and identify hotspots where local officials are being attacked.

The President gave the statement after he was asked for a reaction on the recent spate of killings in several regions, including the murder of his ally Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo last week.

“Sabi ko, ‘Gawin ninyo ulit ngayon… Think kung ano yung mga hotspot, mga mainit na lugar,’” Marcos Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Malacañang.

“Ang usual naman na dapat gawin diyan ay hanapin yung illegal firearms. Basta kakaunti ang illegal firearms, kakaunti ang ganiyang klaseng krimen,” he said.

“Yang mga private army na ganiyan, kailangan idismantle lahat yan. That’s what we have asked them to do,’” he added.

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‘PARTICULARLY TERRIFYING, PURELY POLITICAL’

Marcos Jr. described Degamo’s killing as “particularly terrifying” and “purely political.”

“It was shocking. I could not believe that this would still happen. Pinasok ba naman yung sarili niyang bahay. When you see the video, talagang lahat na haharap sa kanila, babarilin nila. Yung ibang pinatay nila walang kinalaman sa kanilang gulo,” he said.

“This one is particularly terrifying… This does not belong in our society. Hindi puwede yung ganiyan. Hindi natin pababayaan… Ito this is purely political, yung kay Roel [Degamo].”

Marcos Jr. said the government is ready to provide protection for local officials who think that they may also be assassination targets.

“Right now, everybody talagang binibigyan namin ng protection. We don’t have details yet kung sino man who feels aggrieved or whatever,” the President said.

“Mainit ngayon yan, the emotions are running high so I’ve asked yung joint Army and police, and between them I said, ‘Keep your presence known and felt para hindi magkagulo.’”

Authorities are currently “conducting what we refer to as a drag net” as they continue to go after other suspects in the Negros Oriental Governor’s slay, Marcos Jr. said.

“So far, maganda naman ang nagiging imbestigasyon. Marami silang nakukuhang information so mabilis naman ang paghuli sa ating mga suspects,” he said.

“We are looking and getting the best intelligence we can from our people on the ground to tell us where are the places we should be looking at, where do we need more people, where do we need more personnel, who are the people involved… so we get a good read on the intelligence.”

Over the weekend, authorities arrested 4 suspects involved in Degamo’s killing, while another died during pursuit operations.

Three of the four arrested suspects were confirmed to be former members of the Philippine Army, who were dishonorably discharged from service several years ago.

Aside from Degamo, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr, Aparri Vice Mayor Rommel Almeda and Datu Montawal Mayor Ohto Montawal were attacked by armed men last month.

Alameda died, while Adiong Jr. and Montawal survived the separate assassination attempts but sustained injuries.

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