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By Francis Allan L. Angelo
ROBBERY, old grudges and business rivalry are the possible motives being eyed in the murder and robbery of an Australian national in a coastal village of Ajuy early morning Tuesday.
Werner Holz, 62, a retired police officer from Australia, died of more than 20 stab wounds in his chest, back and neck.
Holz’s stab-riddled body was found past 4am yesterday in his bed inside his 1.5-hectare beach front residence at Brgy. Pili, Ajuy.
Based on the testimonies of Holz’s Ilongga wife, Vivian Posadas-Holz, her husband went outside their house past 12 midnight to urinate.
Five minutes after he returned to bed, three masked men wielding pistols and a knife barged inside their room.
Two of the suspects immediately overpowered the 6-foot, 5-inch Holz and repeatedly stabbed him. Dr. Noel Martinez, PNP medico legal, said Holz died of 24 stab wounds in the body and neck.
The third suspect then ordered Vivian to open the safety vault inside the master’s bedroom. According to the initial count by investigators, the suspects took away an estimated P200,000 cash, US$5,000 cash and P800,000 worth of jewelry from the vault.
The suspects then tied up Vivian and locked her inside the comfort room. When the suspects left, the wife cried for help but the nanny of their 7-year-old son only responded to her plea around 4am.
The unidentified nanny said she did not mind Vivian’s cry for help thinking that the couple were arguing inside their room. But when the nanny entered the master’s bedroom, she saw the bloodied Holz on the bed.
The Holz household then asked help from their neighbors who called Pili barangay officials and tanods to the crime scene.
PROFESSIONALS
Senior Supt. Ricardo dela Paz, Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) director, immediately went to Ajuy to personally lead the investigation on the incident.
Dela Paz described the case as a work of professionals as indicated by their manner of entry and the swiftness of the operation.
“Initially, the motive is plain robbery but we are digging deeper into the background of the victim so we can include other motives that led to the incident,” dela Paz said.
To ensure that their intrusion will not rouse attention from Holz’s neighbors, the suspects fed the victim’s two pet dogs with food laced with tranquilizers.
“It is possible that the suspects forced their way inside the house or they were already inside the residence. Or maybe they sneaked inside while Holtz was urinating outside their house,” dela Paz said.
Punong Barangay Emmanuel Asumbra of Pili said the dogs drooled and appeared dazed hours after the crime was discovered, an indication that the animals were drugged.
Their initial investigation indicated the culprits wore masks and gloves to avoid leaving their fingerprints in the crime scene.
The fact that they had no remorse in killing Holz also indicates that the suspects were professionals, dela Paz added.
The police also noticed that only the front and back yards of the Holz’s residence was lighted at night.
The main house and the adjoining guest houses, which are facing the sea, are made of nipa and wood. The master’s bedroom is air-conditioned, thus the noise from within is muffled.
Dela Paz said the couple’s companion inside the house were their 7-year-old son, Holz’s daughter from his previous marriage, the nanny and househelp who is also a sister of Vivian.
“The suspects patterned the movement of the victims by conducting surveillance on the couple. The hit was systematic and fast. We continue to investigate the case until we have ascertained the motive and the suspects are identified,” the IPPO chief said.
By Francis Allan L. Angelo
AUSTRALIAN national Werner Holz, who was stabbed to death by three robbers inside his home early morning Tuesday, was a generous but strict person.
After retiring from the Australian police service, Holz and his Ilongga wife Vivian Posadas-Holz, moved to Brgy. Pili, Ajuy more than 10 years ago. The couple then purchased a 1.5-hectare beachfront lot in the said village.
Iloilo 5th district Board Member Jett Rojas said he encountered Holz on several occasions when he was still mayor of Ajuy.
Rojas said the Holz couple lends money to farmers aside from engaging in piggery and buy-and-sell ventures. The couple also bought a property in Iloilo City.
Rojas recounted previous issues involving Holz, particularly the Australian’s confrontations with residents and local officials of Ajuy.
“There was a time when he went to my office to complain about the fishpens in front of their beach property which he considered as eyesores. He wanted to remove the pens which the owners resisted because it is their only means of livelihood,” Rojas said.
The board member also recalled a confrontation between Holz and a punong barangay over the Australian national’s piggery.
Rojas said Holz closed a road-right-of-way which traversed the piggery to the chagrin of the residents.
“The local officials then asked my help to negotiate with Holz if he can donate a portion of his property for the right-of-way. It was resolved in the end but the road was not as convenient as the old path,” Rojas said.
Rojas said he noticed that Holz was very hard to deal with and “used very harsh words.”
“He was very strict and particular with his properties. But he was also generous to his neighbors and the community,” he added.
The provincial board member also noticed that the Holz were seldom invited to parties hosted by other expatriates in Ajuy.
“He seems to be an outcast. I was invited to these parties and I noticed that Holz was not present,” Rojas said.
Punong Barangay Emmanuel Asumbra of Pili said Holz was “a very generous soul.”
“He also participated in some of our activities, especially-sports related events. He even sponsored one basketball team with complete uniforms,” Asumbra said.
Asumbra, however, confirmed Holz’s strict ways when it comes to his properties.
Rojas said the police should consider in their investigation old grudges.
“This is the first time that this kind of crime happened in our town. And we are concerned that this will drive away prospective investors, particularly expatriates who want to reside and do business in Ajuy,” Rojas said.
Suplico asks Ombudsman to probe Tupas, GSO head
By Francis Allan L. Angelo
ILOILO Vice Governor Rolex continued his counteroffensive against his uncle Governor Niel Tupas Sr. by calling for a lifestyle check on the latter and other provincial officials in the light of the spate of alleged anomalies at the Capitol.
In a privilege speech delivered during the first regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for 2009, Suplico asked the provincial board to pass two resolutions urging the Office of the Ombudsman to conduct lifestyle checks on Tupas and his family and members of the provincial Bids and Awards Committee, especially General Services Office head Ramie Salcedo.
Suplico questioned how the Tupas family won several elections even if they don’t have viable sources of livelihood.
Suplico also questioned the mansion owned by Tupas at Brgy. Hechanova, Jaro reportedly worth more than P20 million.
“He has built a mansion in Jaro on a salary of around P29,000 per month. Yet, the truth is that he has no visible means of livelihood, one that is commensurate to their lifestyle. Where did he get the money for such a lavish lifestyle?” Suplico said.
The vice governor claimed that graft and corruption at the capitol “has increased by leaps and bounds and in greater amounts as the Tupas administration nears its end in 2010.”
He cited alleged anomalous transactions at the capitol including the P1.3-million autoclave sterilizer in Passi City, anesthesia machine scandal in Calinog and the purchase of landscaping plants for the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center in Pototan, Iloilo.
“These scams cannot be perpetrated without the connivance of certain officers and employees of the Capitol, such as but not limited to the General Services Office and its head, Ramie Salcedo,” he added.
To further prove that his uncle cannot support himself outside of politics, Suplico narrated how he and Rep. Ferjenel Biron financially supported Tupas from 1998 to 2001.
The vice governor said he gave four vehicles to Tupas and funded the latter’s 1998 gubernatorial campaign in the 5th congressional district.
Suplico also recalled giving an Omega wristwatch to his uncle governor at a Japanese restaurant in a Mandaluyong City hotel.
“After his defeat (in 1998), I gave him support equal to twice my salary as congressman – P70,000 per month. I practically carried the entire family on my back. I still have the 32 returned checks representing three years, from 1998 to 2001, at P70,000 per check. These checks were payable to Atty. Niel D. Tupas,” he added.
During the 2001 elections, Suplico claimed shelling out P40 million of personal funds for the gubernatorial campaign of Tupas.
Biron, upon Suplico’s request, contributed P6 million to Tupas’ campaign kitty.
“My friends, I never told Gov. Tupas to keep the change. And until now, I am still waiting for the change. Basi bala my sensilyo pa ako!” he said.
POLITICAL SURVIVAL
Suplico said the recent order of Tupas to use the reenacted 2008 budget this year is only meant for the political survival of his family.
The vice governor claimed that seven members of the Tupas family are rumored to run for various positions in the city and province of Iloilo come 2010.
“My question is: Where will they get the money? I am afraid that we have to do everything to protect the provincial public funds. I fear that the money in the coffers of the provincial government will be used once again, not for the general welfare of the Ilonggos, but for the political survival of Gov. Tupas and his family in 2010,” Suplico said.
Aside from the lifestyle check on Tupas, Salcedo and other Capitol officials, also asked the SP to pass a resolution condemning Executive Order 01-2009 which ordered Capitol departments to operate under the 2008 reenacted budget.
Suplico said he is also studying other executive orders of Tupas for possible filing of criminal raps against the latter.
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