Roel Degamo

Roel Degamo
Degamo in 2019
20th Governor of Negros Oriental
In office
October 5, 2022[note 1] – March 4, 2023
Vice GovernorCarlo Jorge Joan Reyes
Preceded byPryde Henry Teves
Succeeded byCarlo Jorge Joan Reyes
In office
January 5, 2011 – June 30, 2022
Suspended: October 18, 2017 – January 17, 2018
Vice GovernorApolinario Arnaiz Jr. (2011–2013)
Edward Mark Macias (2013–2022)
Preceded byAgustin Perdices
Succeeded byPryde Henry Teves
Vice Governor of Negros Oriental
In office
June 30, 2010 – January 5, 2011
GovernorAgustin Perdices
Preceded byJose Baldado
Succeeded byApolinario Arnaiz Jr.
Member of the Negros Oriental Provincial Board
Ex officio
In office
2004 – June 30, 2007
SectorPhilippine Councilors League
Member of the Siaton Municipal Council
In office
June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2007
Personal details
Born
Roel Ragay Degamo

(1966-04-29)April 29, 1966[4]
Siaton, Negros Oriental, Philippines
DiedMarch 4, 2023(2023-03-04) (aged 56)
Pamplona, Negros Oriental, Philippines
Manner of deathAssassination (gunshot wounds)
Resting placeSiaton, Negros Oriental, Philippines
Political partyNacionalista (2018–2023)
Other political
affiliations
NUP (2015–2018)
PDP–Laban (until 2015)
SpouseJanice Vallega
Children2 (adopted)
Residence(s)Pamplona, Negros Oriental
Siaton, Negros Oriental
Dumaguete, Negros Oriental
Alma materSilliman University (BS)
Occupation
  • Mechanical engineer
  • politician

Roel Ragay Degamo (April 29, 1966 – March 4, 2023) was a Filipino politician who served as governor of Negros Oriental from 2011 to June 2022, and again from October 2022 until his assassination on March 4, 2023. He previously served as the province's vice governor from 2010 to 2011, and was a municipal councilor of Siaton from 1998 to 2007.[5]

In the 2010 elections, he garnered the most votes for the Negros Oriental Provincial Board. With the successive deaths of the elected governor and vice governor, Degamo ascended to the governorship in January 2011. He was suspended from office in October 2017 until January 2018 due to three dismissal orders from the Office of the Ombudsman stemming from allegations of misappropriating public funds. He successfully appealed his suspension and dismissal.

Degamo lost the gubernatorial race to Pryde Henry Teves in the May 2022 elections. However, back in October 2021, during the run-up to the elections, Degamo filed an electoral complaint to have another gubernatorial candidate—an almost namesake known as "Ruel Degamo"—be declared a nuisance candidate meant to "confuse and deceive" the electorate. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) ruled in the governor's favor, however, the latter candidate filed an appeal. The election pushed through before COMELEC made a final ruling on the case. In June 2022, a defeated Degamo filed a petition for mandamus at the Supreme Court, which compelled COMELEC to resolve the case.[6] On October 3, 2022, COMELEC upheld their earlier decision and transferred votes obtained by Ruel to Roel, proclaiming him the election's true winner.[7][8]

On March 4, 2023, he was assassinated by a group of armed men at his home in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference gD22b was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference gD22a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Bayoran, Gilbert (October 18, 2022). "Degamo assumes post as Negros Oriental governor". The Philippine Star. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference metropost was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Bolledo, Jairo (March 4, 2023). "Who is Roel Degamo, the slain Negros Oriental governor?". Rappler.
  6. ^ Bulado, Francis Lianro (June 25, 2022). "Supporters Of Degamo Staged A Prayer Vigil In Front Of Dumaguete City Capitol Against Pryde Teves". The Negros Times. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  7. ^ De Leon, Dwight (October 3, 2022). "How Degamo unseated Teves as Negros Oriental governor months after the May 2022 polls". Rappler. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "Comelec proclaims new governor of Negros Oriental". October 4, 2022.


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