BY ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
MURDERED Negros Occidental provincial capitol consultant Marton Cui was laid to rest on April 20.
He was assassinated in his hometown (San Carlos City) on April 12.
Cui’s sudden death shocked Negros politicians.
It also stirred the entire province as Cui was an “alter ego” of Gov. Bong Lacson.
Around media orb in Negros, Cui’s name was a byword. Thus, everyone keeps on asking three major questions that, until now, remain unanswered.
1. What’s wrong?
2. What’s the motive?
3. Who killed him?
Well, according to Governor Lacson, Cui, also previously the chief of staff of former Negros Occidental’s 1st District congressman Jules Ledesma, was a soft spoken, well-mannered and good-hearted guy.
But why was he killed that way?
So puzzling!
Revisiting Google, in 2018 Cui hogged headlines of local dailies in Bacolod City. He was labeled a drug lord in Negros Occidental and linked to Cebu’s Peter Lim.
Watchmen Daily Journal’s (WDJ) Oct. 5, 2018 issue identified Calatrava natives Alfredo Hulleza, Cipriano Jimez and Cheryl Virtucio as complainants against Cui and alleged cohorts before the National Bureau of Investigation in Bacolod.
A probe, however, ended up “gone in the wind.”
And when Lacson won as governor in 2019, he hired Cui as one of his consultants.
Lacson tasked Cui to be in-charge of hospital operations in the province.
On April 12, Negrenses were shocked to hear the news that Cui was assassinated from afar by a sniper in San Carlos City at around 8 p.m.
Probers theorized it was a well-planned mission – kill Cui by hook or by crook.
Three angles are being explored now: drugs, politics, personal vendetta.
The first two could be “fatal” to the re-election of Governor Lacson next year.
Lacson’s future opponent(s) may exploit both.
But I am pretty sure the governor’s think-tanks are already aware of the repercussion of Cui’s murder.
In layman’s understanding, such is no ordinary crime.
Wise men predict there could be something “explosive” coming soon.
The offshoot could be a more intense political battle in the province.
For now, no names havecropped up as Lacson’s potential challengers.
But who knows?
Tomorrow is another day!/PN
