Jail warden faces raps for guard’s murder

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Philippines – The warden of the La Union provincial jail and an alleged member of a group engaged in contract killing are facing charges for the murder of a prison guard in January.

In a complaint filed with the city prosecutor’s office recently, Marifel Casuga tagged jail warden Albert Palomique and Alfredo Paguirigan Yu Jr. in the killing of her husband Jonathan on Jan. 16. She said the killing was due to a love triangle.

Casuga claimed her husband and Palomique were engaged in a relationship with the same woman and jealousy was the motive for the killing. She said Palomique was furious when he discovered that Jonathan and the woman were having an affair.

Records from the city prosecutor’s office showed that a witness identified Yu as the triggerman.

The witness, said to be a partner of Yu, told investigators that the suspect was a contract killer. She said he admitted to her that he killed the guard.

The witness identified Yu from closed-circuit television footage showing the suspect alighting from a motorcycle a few meters away from the crime scene.

The STAR tried but failed to reach Palomique for comment. Sources said he would answer the charges once he obtains a copy of the complaint.