Crowds lined the streets of San Carlos City to bid farewell to Mariano Antonio “Marton” Cui as his remains were brought to his final resting place at the San Carlos City Memorial Park Tuesday afternoon, April 20.
Cui, who was Negros Occidental provincial consultant on hospital operations, was shot and killed as he was leaving his office at Emerald Arcade in San Carlos City on April 20.
The police are investigating the questionable presence of three vehicles on the night of his killing that were captured by CCTV cameras, but still have no leads on the assailants and the motive, Lt. Abegael Donasco, Negros Occidental police spokesperson, said.
The three vehicles are a black Innova, a Toyota white van, and a grey Starex, she said.
The National Bureau of Investigation that is conducting a parallel investigation also has no significant progress in its investigation, Renoir Baldovino, NBI Bacolod chief, said.
San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, who delivered the homily at the funeral mass at the San Carlos Borromeo Cathedral, said the killing of Cui “should not leave us indifferent. It should wake us up to the truth that human life is no longer held sacred by some people”.
“Will the case of Sir Marton Cui simply end up in the list of unsolved cases?” he asked.
Alminaza said he prays for the conversion of those behind the killing of Cu “for their change of hearts, for the grace of true repentance so that they will voluntarily come out and take responsibility for their abominable crime and put an end to this senseless violence against the primacy and sanctity of human life.”
The bishop said Cui was an “ever dependable and always available mentor and guide to his fellow public servants, friends, relatives, and business partners, more than the generous godfather to the many poor and indigent families who came to him for help, (and a) more than the humble benefactor and supporter of the Church and other faith communities and groups”.
Alminaza said Cui is survived by his wife Lanibelle and children Marielle Antoniette, Krystel Marisse and Alfredo Martin.
Cui was chief of staff of former Rep. Jules Ledesma and Executive Assistant for Political Affairs of Rep. Gerardo Valmayor Jr. of the first district of Negros Occidental.
San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo said Cui was well loved not only by the residents of San Carlos City but of the rest of the first district whom he had helped, that is why there were thousands at his funeral.
Gustilo said a reward will be offered to anyone who can lead authorities to the arrest of those behind the killing of Cui. He said he cannot say yet what the final reward figure will be as he could increase the P100,000 being proposed.*