President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo is “entirely unacceptable and it will not stand,” adding that the suspects “cannot go unpunished.”

The President made this remark in a chance interview with the media after the ceremonial signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the Kapatid Angat Lahat for Agriculture Program (KALAP) in Malacañang.

The President said the slay of the Negros Oriental official was “shocking” and the case “does not belong in the society.”

“I couldn’t believe that this happened. Pinasok ba naman ‘yung sarili niyang bahay. At saka when you see the video, talagang lahat ‘yung basta’t naharap sa kanila babarilin nila. Ilan ang pinatay nila na walang kinalaman sa kanilang gulo, kanilang away,” said the President.

When asked whether the slay of the Negros Oriental leader is an isolated incident, the President said: “Ito, this is purely political, ‘yung kay Kuya Roel. That’s purely, purely political.”

“That’s why we are looking and getting all the best intelligence we can from our people on the ground to tell us where are the places we should be looking at,” the President added. (PND)