Soldier's 'asset' tagged in Dutch missionary's slay

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – An alleged “asset” of an Army officer and five others were named last Wednesday as respondents in the killing of Dutch national Willem Geertman in Barangay Telebastagan here last July 3.

Geertman’s girlfriend Aurora Santiago filed the case before the city prosecutor’s office after relatives and supporters held a Mass at the Immaculate Concepcion Church here to mark the 40th day of Geertman’s death.

The respondents included one Marvin Marsan, Harold de la Cruz and four John Does.

Marsan, alias Joshua, was identified in the complaint as an “asset” of Army Lt. Vidi Tababa, reportedly a member of the military intelligence.

While Marsan was allegedly the mastermind in the killing, De la Cruz was reportedly the one who shot Geertman.

The suspects remained at large.

Geertman was shot in the back after the suspects forced him to kneel at the compound of the Alay Bayan Inc. shortly after he had withdrawn cash from a bank in Angeles City. His assailants took the cash.

Last July 16, police filed robbery and homicide charges in connection with Geertman’s killing, but only named De la Cruz as one of the suspects.

Santiago said she filed the murder case, as she did not favor the charges filed by the police, although the city prosecutor’s office is slated to consolidate the two cases in a hearing on Aug. 30.