RSSMANILA (UCAN) — The murder yesterday [Feb. 28] of a former witness in a probe on illegal gambling has alarmed Church people who have offered sanctuary to those testifying in controversial cases.
Bishop Antonio Tobias of Novaliches told UCA News today that he also fears for the safety of retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz who commented on the death in a televised interview.
The archbishop had told television reporters that the murdered witness, Wilfredo Mayor, planned to expose further anomalies in in public works contracts in his home province of Albay, southeast of Manila.
Mayor, 54, was shot and killed by four men on two motorcycles while driving home on Feb. 28, his nephew told police. His son-in-law was wounded.
Police say Mayor suffered multiple wounds to the head and body and was dead on arrival at hospital.
The man was one of five witnesses who Archbishop Cruz and his national crusade against the jueteng illegal numbers game had presented at a 2005 senate hearing.
Mayor told senate committee members he operated jueteng in Albay province and claimed members of President Gloria Arroyo’s family and administration received pay-offs.
Witness recanted testimony
He later recanted his testimony, reportedly due to threats on his life. He returned to his home in Daraga, Albay, and resumed his construction business.
Mayor stayed with Bishop Tobias during the hearings, but the bishop told UCA News today [March 1] that he had not seen him since.
Archbishop Cruz told television reporters that Mayor had visited him last Tuesday and given him the names of people involved in public work contracts in Albay province southeast of Manila.
The archbishop reportedly said he would identify two “big and influential persons” that could be behind the death of Mayor.
Bishop Tobias told UCA News he is worried about his confrere’s well being.
The archbishop could not be reached by UCA News.
Mayor reportedly had a 1.2-million-peso (US$26,000) bounty on his head from people he planned to expose, according to local journalists.
Another whistleblower, Rodolfo Lozada, fears for his life but says he will continue to speak out on alleged padding of costs in a national broadband deal to cover kickbacks for Arroyo administration officials and relatives.
Lozada, who is in the sanctuary program of the Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines, told UCA News after Mayor’s killing, “Of course I’m afraid.”
He said, “If they can kill Mayor who had security guards, then they can always reach me.” He said he will have to “put my fate and life in the hands of the Lord.” The opposite of fear is not courage but faith, he said.
PR08975.1591 March 1, 2010 48 EM-lines (431 words)
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