Protect my family — witness in Ruñez case

"Please protect not only me but also my other relatives."

Charles Galarce, the key witness in the recent killing of RPN-9 television news cameraman Ralph Ruñez, appealed to authorities for police protection following a grenade attack on his father’s wake.

Two mourners and several others, including children, were hurt when three men lobbed three grenades late Friday in an attack that police suspect was meant to intimidate Galarce from testifying against two police officers accused of killing Ruñez in July.

Galarce, 22, said his former gang would not stop going after him until he is dead or he backed off from testifying.

"I was informed that those who are hunting me have put up a P5-million bounty for my head and would also give big rewards to those who could kill my next of kin," Galarce told The STAR.

But he vowed to press on despite the danger. "There’s no turning back now," Galarce said.

He added that the gang he once belonged is no ordinary group, saying it involved "important personalities," including police officers. He declined to give names.

"Many lives had already been wasted. I am no longer afraid of them but I am afraid for the safety of my other relatives especially my wife and only son, including my mother and my brother," Galarce said.

He joined the gang when he was 17, Galarce said, and that he knew much of their operations and those behind them.

"I was once the group’s favorite hit man until the Ruñez case change it all," he said.

Last Friday, at around 11:30 p.m., three men hurled three grenades among the mourners at the wake of Galarce’s father. Celerino Galarce, 47, a tricycle driver, who was shot dead earlier last week by a man on a motorcycle while he was picking up a passenger along Administration Road in Tala. Police investigators believe the killing was connected to the Ruñez case.

During Celerino Galarce’s funeral Saturday afternoon, a blue car with several men on board tried to intercept the younger Galarce but his police escorts foiled the attempt. The vehicle sped away. No one was hurt.

"I’m appealing to General (Leopoldo) Bataoil for help, I no longer know what to do," Galarce said. Bataoil is the former chief of the Northern Police District.

He said he was grateful to Superintendent Napoleon Cuaton, Caloocan City deputy police chief, for being behind him.

Bataoil yesterday told The STAR that Dante Jimenez of the anti-crime watchdog group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption has assured him that they will assist in the Galarce case.

Charles was one of the original planners of Ruñez robbery in July that resulted in the cameraman’s killing. Ruñez was shot dead when he resisted.

Charles backed out before the plan was carried out, however. His group tried to liquidate him to silence him but he survived the attack and told the police his story. This led to the arrest of suspects Inspector Bryan Limbo, PO2 Aristotle de Guzman and Ernanie Magnayon.

Magnayon, who cooperated with the police, was accidentally shot dead by jail guard Ricardo Zulueta inside the Caloocan City last Oct. 6.

Police were unable to determine if the incident was connected to the Ruñez killing. Limbo was in the room, allegedly looking for some documents, when Magnayon was shot.

"Those in the know are getting killed one by one. Soon, there will be no one to tell the real story," said one police investigator.

Limbo and De Guzman are still locked up at the Caloocan City jail awaiting trial.

Ruñez’s killing sparked outrage against the Arroyo administration, which has been accused of condoning the series of killings of journalists and left-leaning activists. Other countries have criticized the government, saying it was doing too little to stop the killings.