MANILA — Six Philippine Army battalions were officially deployed in Negros Oriental on Sunday, just a week after the assassination of the province’s governor Roel Degamo.

The troops, composed of the 11th, 94th, 79th, 62nd, 15th, and 47th Infantry Battalions, were formally sent off in a ceremony in Siaton, the slain governor’s hometown.

The Army personnel would be deployed in the second and third districts of Negros Oriental as part of the government’s efforts to step up the joint law enforcement operations with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the province.

AFP Visayas Command (VISCOM) Commander Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo said the deployed troops would work closely with the PNP to capture Degamo’s assassins who remain at large.

As of Sunday, authorities have captured 5 of the slain governor’s alleged gunmen, with one of them killed in a firefight with state forces.

Arevalo also said the deployment aimed “to ease the tension in the province, so as to encourage witnesses to come out, including the witnesses of previous unsolved killing incidents.”

Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier announced the creation of Joint Task Force Negros that would also “dig deeper” on previous killings in the province.

“There is always time for reckoning. And this day is that time,” Galvez said.

Following the deployment, several checkpoints in Negros Oriental were established to help in capturing the assassins at large.

Aside from Joint Task Force Negros, the Marcos Jr. administration also created “Special Task Force Degamo” to further look into Degamo’s murder.

The two task forces were created to ensure a holistic government approach in response to the peace and order situation in Negros.

• Following Degamo slay, 2 task forces to focus on Negros

—with a report from Raffy Cabristante, ABS-CBN News

RELATED VIDEO:

Watch more News on iWantTFC