Hundreds honor student shot dead near Baguio cops

BAGUIO CITY - The chapel of Saint Louis University (SLU) overflowed with hundreds of mourners, after a requiem mass was held there for the first time, to bid goodbye to murdered graduating student Jude Castañeda Wal II last Thursday morning. Wal, 21, was cremated at Heaven's Garden memorial park in Irisan afterward. This, as the youth group Anakbayan and thousands of students in Baguio called for immediate justice for his death. "Jude is one of the many youth victims of senseless violence. We criticize government's failure to safeguard the youth from any form of violence. In Jude's case, and same with other victims of violence, we call for immediate justice for his death," the Anakbayan statement said. The statement said it extends its condolence to the family, relatives, and friends of Wal. "We challenge the youth and all students to make a move for change. As youth, we should initiate and do something for a youth-friendly society, free from all forms of discrimination and assault on the youth. Do not let violence like this be repeated. Let us show that the youth can take action for a violence-free state," the group statement added. Police said the murder of Wal, who was shot dead along M. Roxas Street at 6:45 a.m. of January 25, "was not frat-related or was it possible that it resulted in a love triangle." A senior police investigator of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), who asked not to be named until more positive results emerge from an ongoing investigation, revealed they have discounted the possibility that Wal's death was due to gang violence because the victim was not a member of any youth gang or fraternity. "It was also remotely possible his death may have been due to a failed relationship or a love triangle because he parted ways with his former girlfriend about two years ago and it was a friendly separation," the investigator added. However, he added police are not discounting other motives in the slaying of Wal. Wal was shot while driving his younger brother to school in a green Kia Besta van. According to the victim's father, it has been his son's routine to drive his younger brother and sisters to school for the past five years. Although the killer managed to elude arrest after the daring daylight crime, since it was perpetrated in a high-traffic area, witnesses were able to describe him. Wal, an SLU accounting student who was supposed to graduate in two months, just celebrated his 21st birthday five days before he was killed. According to witnesses, the shooting occurred in spite of the presence of at least four policemen who were managing traffic a few meters away, and a mobile patrol car parked nearby. The victim sustained several gunshot wounds in the head, chest, and biceps. The victim was rushed to the SLU Hospital of the Sacred Heart emergency ward by a police team. Although efforts were made to revive him, his attending physician, Dr. Noli Velasquez, said Wal expired at 8 a.m. - Sun.Star