Thelma, my niece who was married to Bruno Kohn, called from Sweden last night, inquiring about the case of her husband who was murdered in Laoag on the night of October 26, 2004. Bruno was shot with a caliber pistol by an unidentified gunman, who was with him and two others, one a female, in his owner-type jeep. Then 62 years of age, he was a Swedish national of German origin.
Bruno had an Ilocana girlfriend from Batac--I have seen her, brown maiden with two or three missing upper teeth-- who worked in a videoke bar owned by Odette Santos, the suspected mastermind of the killing. The bar, located at the ground floor of the old brick Cordon building, is still operating at the corner of Panganiban street, popularly known as Lansangan during my young years, where the processions of the Roman Catholic church used to pass during Lent.
Jo Ann, a friend of her sister Leticia who filed the complained has called Thelma by phone, telling her she wanted the case to be revived. She asked for money and Thelma has given her P10,000 as initial payment to work on the case. The case has been archived at the Laoag City court, and our lawyer, a certain Caridad, former regional state prosecutor based in San Fernando city has died. Told her I would be going to Laoag one of these days to consult with my cousin, former provincial board member Alma Blanco, who had caused to be filed charges against the suspects.
More than seven years have passed since the murder was committed. Can the case be revived? Thelma, the daughter of my brother Ciriaco, was reluctant then to send money for the follow-up of the case.
Postscript: As of this writing, July 22, 2015, the case is still archived and the killers are still free doing their thing in Laoag. My cousin Alma is suffering from hypertension and is no longer active physically, staying in her room most of the time.And Thelma has moved on in Sweden, acquiring a Swedish boyfriend as old, if not younger, than Bruno.
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