Negros Oriental 3rd District Representative Janice Degamo made an emotional and powerful statement at her first State of the Nation Address (SONA), using fashion as a form of protest and remembrance. The widow of slain Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo honored her late husband’s memory and demanded justice for his assassination, which remains a haunting wound for her family and province.
Rep. Degamo wore a hand-painted sash designed by renowned Negros artist John John Ditching. The sash depicted vivid imagery symbolizing the tragic events of March 4, 2023, when Governor Degamo and several civilians were gunned down in a brazen daytime attack at their home compound in Pamplona, Negros Oriental. The violence shocked the nation and led to a high-profile investigation, but justice for the victims remains incomplete.
“This is a statement,” Rep. Degamo said in her speech. “I wore it to remind this nation, its leaders, and its people that the wounds of Negros Oriental are still open, and that justice remains elusive.”
Her voice trembling at moments, Degamo continued, “The brutal assassination of my husband, Governor Roel Degamo, and the ongoing fight to bring justice to him and to all the other innocent lives lost on that tragic day—this is not just my burden. This is a shared grief, a call for accountability.”
The symbolic sash attracted national attention, serving as a poignant visual protest amid the political formalities of the SONA. Its bold imagery—bloodied palms, a black ribbon, and a weeping widow—resonated with many who watched the address, sparking renewed conversations on social media about impunity, local political violence, and the urgency of judicial reform.
Rep. Degamo has repeatedly called on law enforcement and the judiciary to ensure that the investigation and prosecution of those responsible, including alleged mastermind and suspended Congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr., proceed with integrity and transparency.
As she left the Batasang Pambansa, Rep. Degamo made it clear that her fight was far from over. “I refuse to let my husband’s death be reduced to a headline or forgotten in the noise of politics,” she said. “I am here not just as a legislator, but as a wife, a mother, and a voice for those still waiting for justice.”