The recent deportation of former Cong. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. from Timor Leste back to the Philippines is a moment of reckoning—not just for the families of the victims of the Pamplona massacre, but for the soul of Negros Oriental.
It has been more than two years since the brutal killing of Gov. Roel Degamo and several civilians inside his own home in broad daylight.
For many in Negros Oriental, that day marked the end of our innocence, exposing a deeper rot beneath the surface of local politics and governance. The trauma remains fresh; the questions, still largely unanswered.
Now, with Teves—identified by state prosecutors as the alleged mastermind—finally within reach of Philippine courts, there is renewed hope that justice will no longer be a distant dream. For too long, justice has been delayed.
The deportation signals a shift in momentum, from impunity to accountability.
True, Teves has yet to be proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. This is merely the opening of the next chapter in a legal and moral battle that has tested the nation’s resolve.
The coming months will be a test of the Philippine justice system—its independence, its integrity, and its capacity to deliver truth in the face of wealth, influence, and fear.
This case will define whether the rule of law in our country can stand firm against political violence, or if it will once again crumble under the weight of power and connections.
That massacre two years ago was not just an attack on individuals, but an attack on democracy itself. To have murdered a sitting Governor in his own home was to challenge the very authority of the state. It sent the chilling message that power can be seized not by votes, but by bullets.
Such message must be crushed decisively—not only for the sake of the victims and their families, but for every Filipino who continues to believe in the promise of peace, justice, and public service.
Negros Oriental deserves closure on those gruesome murders. We deserve to heal. But there can be no healing without justice. And justice requires courage—not only from the courts and the investigators, but from us, the public.
The return of Teves to Philippine soil is not the end—it is the beginning of what must be an uncompromising pursuit of the truth.
Let this be a turning point for our Province. Let it show that no one is above the law, and that even in our darkest hours, justice can still prevail.
Negros Oriental must not be remembered for the massacre. It must be remembered for how we responded to it.
