MANILA (UPDATED) — One of the alleged masterminds in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo has been indicted for multiple counts of murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday.

Marvin Miranda, described as a long-time security aide and bodyguard of embattled Negros Oriental Third District Rep. Arnolfo Teves, Jr., will face 9 counts of murder over the killing of Degamo and 8 others on March 4.

He will also be charged with 13 counts of frustrated murder and 4 counts of attempted murder, the DOJ’s press briefer said.

DOJ prosecutors indict Marvin Miranda, one of the alleged masterminds in the Degamo slay, for 9 counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder and 4 counts of attempted murder. DOJ press briefer

DOJ prosecutors indict Marvin Miranda, one of the alleged masterminds in the Degamo slay, for 9 counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder and 4 counts of attempted murder. DOJ press briefer

The DOJ said Miranda's indictment is based on statements from 5 fellow suspects claiming he played an "indispensable" part in the planning of Degamo's assassination.

“The state prosecutors found that Miranda conspired in the commission of the crimes and recommended his indictment, together with Accused [Rogelio, Jr.] Antipolo, [Winrich] Isturis, [Joven] Javier, [Romel] Pattaguan, [Eulogio Jr.] Gonyon, and [John Louie] Gonyon, who were previously charged in court. In effect, the state prosecutors would be amending the informations previously filed in court to include Miranda as one of the accused,” it said.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the cases against 6 of Miranda’s co-accused were previously filed before the Manila Regional Trial Court, as well as another case against 4 others — Joric Labrador, Joven Javier, Banjie Rodriguez, and Osmundo Roias Rivero.

These will be amended to include Miranda among the accused.

All 11 of them are currently under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Alleged to be Teves’ former bagman, Miranda was arrested on March 27 in what the NBI claimed as a “hot pursuit” operation in Barangay Madlad, Barbaza town in Antique province, where he was supposedly hiding.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said Miranda escaped using a helicopter bearing the slogan “Teves cares.”

Remulla described Miranda as the “missing piece that will tie up all loose ends of the case.”

“Kaya nga namin pinursue kaagad yan, hot pursuit yan kasi noong first 4 pa lang, ang unang bukambibig nila talaga, Marvin was really part of it. Si Marvin ang una talagang bukambibig nila although we already had an idea about him before that. Pero it just affirmed our studies on his role here,” he told reporters Wednesday.

(That's why we pursued that immediately. Because the first 4 suspects we arrested were all saying that Marvin was really part of it. Marvin was the first person they mentioned although we already had an idea about him before that. But it just affirmed our studies on his role here.)

He earlier identified Miranda as the "director/casting director" in the plot to kill Degamo while Teves is allegedly the "executive producer/producer."

• DOJ chief names alleged Degamo slay mastermind held by NBI

Teves' lawyer Ferdinand Topacio recently said their camp hoped Remulla would refrain from making any comments about the case, especially since authorities have yet to find conclusive evidence linking the congressman to the death of Degamo.

Teves has yet to return to the Philippines even after he was suspended for 60 days by the House of Representatives due to his continued absence from work, despite the expiration of his travel authority on March 9.

The lawmaker's camp cited threats to his safety and security as reasons for his reluctance to come home.

But President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., citing intelligence reports, earlier said there were no threats to Teves’ life, and urged him to come home and face the charges against him.

• Marcos urges Teves to come home, guarantees security

Aside from being implicated in the Degamo killing, Rep. Teves is also facing murder charges over the 2019 killing of former Negros Oriental Board Member Miguel Dungog, as well as complaints of illegal possession of firearms.

In July 2020, Degamo himself had identified Miranda as among those who were arrested in Caticlan, Aklan over a supposed plot to kill him and his wife Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo.

In his post, the slain governor had said in Cebuano: "Adunay hulga sa among kinabuhi."

(There's a threat to our lives)

Remulla on Tuesday confirmed that Miranda had been convicted and was on probation when Degamo was killed.

• Remulla says Miranda had been convicted, on probation during Degamo slay

Remulla justified the transfer of the suspects to Manila following claims from Teves' lawyer that it violated their rights and amounted to harassment.

“That’s what we do to be able secure them because we found that they are not safe in Dumaguete, that everything can happen in Dumaguete, that the place was living in fear and probably people are still not open to having them there kasi nga sobra na ang trauma ng tao sa violence sa Negros Oriental kaya that’s something that we have to decide as law enforcers,” he said.

(People are traumatized by the violence in Negros Oriental.)

Remulla will meet with law enforcers on Tuesday to discuss additional cases that may be filed against Miranda and even Rep. Teves, who remained outside the country.

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