Political leaders in Negros Oriental have agreed to set aside their differences by fielding common candidates in the 2025 midterm elections.
Negros Oriental 2nd District Rep. Manuel “Chiquiting” Sagarbarria made the announcement on Monday as the Province commemorated the first death anniversary of slain Gov. Roel Degamo at the latter’s family’s residence in barangay Bonawon in Siaton town.
Congressman Sagarbarria said the decision to field candidates to major provincial positions was a result of meetings and discussions with national government and local officials.
“Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez called me recently, saying that President Marcos Jr. was seated right next to him, and that I was given the task to unite Negros Oriental,” Congressman Sagarbarria said.
He added that the task given him is not easy but that he took it anyway, and started meeting with Degamo’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Vallega-Degamo, and other members of her camp.
The Congressman announced that they also decided that his son, incumbent Gov. Chaco Sagarbarria, will seek re-election; Siaton Mayor Cezanne Fritz Diaz will run for vice governor; and Pamplona Mayor Degamo for congressman of the 3rd District.
Congressman Chiquiting said it was not an easy decision for any of them to relent since they were eyeing different positions.
He said he “made a sacrifice” by not running for any position in 2025; Degamo’s widow, for her part, dropped her plan to seek the gubernatorial post (and run against Chaco Sagarbarria), and instead sought the support of the Sagarbarrias for this new agreement.
“They [supporters] expressed apprehension that whoever gets to sit at the helm of the provincial government may not be as approachable, open, helpful, and friendly as Governor Roel, especially because they are kachila [kastila] or Spanish mestizos,” she said.
She added that she urged her supporters to “give the Sagarbarria camp a chance” in the name of peace and development. “It is time to forge alliances with them,” she said.
Gov. Chaco Sagarbarria also briefly spoke about their first association about a decade or so ago, when he was still a Dumaguete councilor, mentioning the acronym “SagDe” for Sagarbarria and Degamo.
He said they had amiable relations even that time, despite different political alliances, and had been looking forward to rekindling the relationship.
In the past elections, the Sagarbarrias were allies with the Teveses, who are the rivals of the Degamos.
The suspected mastermind in the Degamo slay, expelled 3rd District Cong. Arnolfo Teves Jr., is still in hiding.
Murder case
Meanwhile, the Degamo widow said she is optimistic that a final judgment on the case of her husband and other victims would be reached soon.
She thanked the national government for exerting all efforts to bring the perpetrators to court, and said she hopes the mastermind will be brought to justice soon.
Hundreds of supporters, including local officials and ex-politicians, joined the motorcade from the crime scene in Pamplona, where a mass was held, to Bonawon in Siaton.
Also present were some survivors of the ‘Pamplona Massacre’ and their families.
Dr. Liland Estacion, provincial health officer who suffered serious leg injury after being shot by the gunmen during the attack, said the pain remains, but life has to go on.
“I am very emotional because I still feel pain in my feet, and justice has not yet been served,” Estacion said.
Four trials are scheduled in June, August, September and October. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
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Photo Caption: SOLEMN REMEMBRANCE. Political leaders and their supporters and the family of the late Gov. Roel Degamo gather before the slain Governor’s grave in Bonawon, Siaton on the first anniversary of his assassination Monday. (Photo by Alex Pal)
