Baguio DAR exec gets death threat

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - For seeking justice for the death of his son, Jude Wal Sr.'s life was threatened anew, but he remains unfazed and will continue the battle until his son's killers are jailed. "Director, dahan-dahan ka lang. Alam mo na isang bala ka lang. (Director, better be careful. You know you're only one bullet away)." This was the death threat received by Wal of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) regional office in the Cordillera at 2 a.m. Saturday or about 14 hours after members of Task Force Wal filed a formal charge against the alleged mastermind in the murder of his son before the Baguio City Prosecutor's Office last Friday. "It's good Chief Superintendent Eugene Martin provided us with the necessary police protection immediately after I reported the death threat to him," he said, referring to the director of the Cordillera Police Regional Office, who also created the task force earlier this year. "This is an offshoot of our filing of the murder charges against the gunman and lookout who surrendered, and their alleged mastermind," Wal added. The cellular telephone used by the caller had the number (0929)816-2163. Wal said the plot to murder him or his son was apparently planned by the alleged mastermind identified by the surrendered gunman and lookout as architect Joseph Marrero, a contractor who ran for a seat in the City Council under the slate of former mayor Braulio Yaranon in the last synchronized national and local elections. "Previously, Marrero had been maliciously filing cases against me, all of which were dismissed. The cases were civil, criminal and administrative in nature. It is my firm belief this was because of his failure to destroy my person and my career through malicious prosecution that Marrero decided to kill either me or my son," according to Wal. This resulted, he said, after he replaced Marrero as the contractor-developer of the Cordillera Homeowners Cooperative housing project located along Km 10 or near the second view deck at the Palispis - Aspiras (former Marcos) Highway in Taloy Sur, Tuba, Benguet. This, after the latter received a huge amount of money as down payment for his services but neglected to do anything after numerous reminders. The gunman, who was named by the police as Ernesto Calub Genetiano alias Marcy, 52, a former Army soldier, admitted in his sworn statement that Marrero contracted him to kill either of the two Wal family members in exchange for P100,000; the purchase and turnover of the five hectare farm lot where his house is erected to him; and the repair of his house. However, according to the gunman, he was only given P5,000 as down payment for the contracted murder; a cal. 45 Colt pistol; and a brand new red Honda Wave 125cc motorcycle without any license plate number to accomplish the job. After the murder was perpetrated last January 25, the gunman said he went to San Fernando City, La Union to get his payment, as agreed between him and Marrero through text message earlier, but he was never paid the balance, nor was the farm lot given to him or his house repaired as promised. Afraid he may have been followed, he sold the gun for P5,000 and the motorcycle for P8,000, then hid himself in Agoo, La Union; Sison, Pangasinan; Nueva Ecija; Isabela; then back to Inabaan Sur. When asked why he finally surrendered, Genetiano said his conscience kept bothering him, more so, when he viewed on television that the person he killed "was a graduating college student with an unblemished character." - Sun.Star Baguio