Killing of Zambo university president condemned

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU) has condemned the recent “cold-blooded murder” of the president of Universidad de Zamboanga.

Universidad de Zamboanga, represented by Arturo Eustaquio III, has been a long-time member of good standing of PACU.

In a statement, PACU said it was “expressing its deepest concern and strongest condemnation of the senseless murder” of Eustaquio.

Eustaquio “joins other innocent civilians who have become victims of lawless elements that have wreaked havoc among peaceful citizens of the Philippines,” said Peter Laurel, president of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas and concurrent PACU president.

PACU is composed of 185 of the biggest and leading colleges and universities in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, security officials said Eustaquio was not the only target of assassination but also members of his family, which operates schools and a hospital in Zamboanga City.

Task Force Archie (referring to Eustaquio’s nickname) is focusing on a business deal as one of the angles in the killing.

Lawyer Linda Lim, Eustaquio’s sister, told Mayor Celso Lobregat that an unidentified man called her through telephone last March 22, saying he got information that she and her brother would be killed.

“The caller informed Atty. Lim not to report to the police as they (assassins) are just around (her),” Lobregat said.

Superintendent Crizaldo Castillo, deputy chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group regional office, said they were looking into a previous business deal entered into by the Eustaquios’ corporation as one of the angles.

Castillo disclosed that the Eustaquio family reportedly entered into a deal for the acquisition of a property, whose owners, however, were involved in a conflict.

But Castillo said they were also considering other angles in solving the killing.

“All motives are under evaluation. But we will not be resting to solve this case and the rest of the gun-slaying cases in this city,” Lobregat said.