XU community demands justice for Ungab
The father of law student Gexie Ray Ungab yesterday broke his silence, maintaining their decision not to file charges against Gexie’s killers, saying that justice may not be achieved here, but “there is justice in heaven”.
Alexie Jose Ungab was in Xavier University (XU) yesterday after the university’s Philosophy Department, where Gexie was once employed, offered a “Mass for Justice and Peace” yesterday at the University Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“As I said, wala nami nagkaso, so kung naay mga updates or news karon about sa follow-up sa kaso, wala nami labot ana, hands off ang family (We didn’t file a case so if there are updates and news about the case, our family has nothing to do with it). Sige lang, naa gihapon hustisya sa langit (There is justice in heaven),” the father said.
University president Fr. Roberto Yap, who presided the mass, however hopes that perpetrators will be brought to justice, calling Ungab’s murder a “despicable and horrendous crime”.
Yap, in his homily said, faith must be deepened in these difficult times.
“We pray for the eternal repose of Gexie, our friend, a fellow Atenean. We are also expressing out condolences to the family, we share their sorrow, their shock, that the Lord will console them in this very painful loss. We joined the cry for justice, this is a despicable crime, it is horrendous, we pray to the God of justice that those who perpetrated this terrible crime really be brought to justice, that really justice be serve,” Yap said.
“In our mass, we really prayed that our faith deepened, our faith that whatever has happened is that our faith in the God of love, that the last word is not this terrible deed that this happened, that the last word is comfort and care that our loving God can give,” he added.
Addressing friends and colleagues of Gexie, a family member said they believe “God, through his own mysterious ways will let the perpetrators face the consequences they deserve”.
“Sometimes I couldn’t ask the question why, because it is so ironic that we poised Gexie to be the lawyer in the family, to bring justice to the oppressed but in his death, we could even hardly give him the justice that he deserves because in today’s society, justice remains elusive,” he said.
“Thank you all for your prayers and unta dili na ni sya mautro (hope this will not happen again),” the family member adds.
The 23-year-old Ungab died of multiple stab wounds, gunshots, and was reportedly mutilated too.
Gexie was supposed to attend a birthday party in Lanao but failed to come home. His dead body was then found at a funeral parlor in Iligan City. PJ Orias