Witness in RPN-9 man’s killing reported missing

A potential witness in the recent killing of an RPN-9 cameraman, who led police investigators to star witness Charles Galarce, is reportedly missing.

"He led us to our key witness but he just disappeared in their area and we could not locate him anymore," a ranking police officer who requested anonymity told The STAR.

He also declined to identify the missing witness claiming that revealing his name would expose him or his family to further danger.

"I just hope that he is only in hiding and nothing wrong happened to him," the officer said.

Several days after RPN-9 cameraman Ralph Ruñez was robbed and killed by two motorcycle-riding gunmen in front of his house in Tala, Caloocan City last July 28, police had no leads to the slaying.

But persistent intelligence gathering resulted in the discovery of a witness, who led the Caloocan City police to the hospital where Charles was recuperating after his gangmates tried to liquidate him.

The witness could have known more about the criminal group’s activities that is now after the head of Galarce, the source said.

"We don’t know who Galarce is, not until the missing witness came forward in one of our investigations," the official said.

Galarce’s gang tasked him to kill Ruñez but he backed out of the plan before it was to be initiated. This prompted his group to also try to kill him but Galarce survived the attack and told his story to the police. Galarce later turned state witness.

Galarce’s confession to the police resulted in the arrest of suspects Inspector Bryan Limbo, PO2 Aristotle de Guzman and Ernani Magnayon.

Magnayon, however, was accidentally shot dead by a jail guard inside the Caloocan City jail last Oct. 6.

Galarce was warned by his gang mates not to testify against them or he would be killed including his family, but he pressed on.

On Nov. 6, his father, Celerino Galarce, 42, a tricycle driver, was shot dead while picking up passengers in Tala, Caloocan City North.

On Nov.10, a day before Galarce’s was to be buried, unidentified men lobbed a grenade at his wake killing two mourners and wounded 21 others.

"That was a very strong message against Charles and to his gangmates not to follow him or something would happened to them," the official said.

Police said that they have already identified at least five of the gunmen and they are tracking down the suspects.

The STAR tried to interview Galarce yesterday but he was already reluctant to talk about the Ruñez case claiming that he was advised not to entertain media interviews.