A group of men carry the coffin of former Xavier University philosophy teacher Gexie Ray Ungab to a hearse during the funeral yesterday. The body of the 23-year-old man showed signs of toture before he died. (photo by Nitz Arancon)
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Former Xavier University philosophy teacher Gexie Ray Ungab is laid to rest by his family and friends in a Bulua cemetery yesterday. The body of the 23-year-old man showed signs of toture before he died. (photo by Joey Nacalaban)

By NITZ ARANCON and JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondents .

WHOEVER killed former Xavier University philosophy teacher Gexie Ray Ungab made sure he suffered before he died.

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The body of the 23-year-old Ungab showed signs of torture — his face was bruised and disfigured; he had contusions all over; he was stabbed at least 18 times, his member was nearly severed, and his legs were riddled with bullets (not shot to the head as reported yesterday). He was beyond recognition.

Despite this, his family has decided not to press charges against any suspect.

Ungab’s father Alexie, a public school teacher, said, “In spite sa ilang gibuhat sa akong anak, di ko manumbong para wala nay gubot. Gihatag ko na tanan sa Ginoo. Siya nalang bahala sa ila.”

The decision, he said, was collective because his family no longer want any trouble.

Ungab was laid to rest at the Golden Haven Memorial Gardens in Bulua at around 10 am yesterday following a mass at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes on Capistrano St.. Many of his grieving relatives and friends wore black, and were tightly secured by the police.

Police and former mayor Vicente Emano earlier said the victim’s family have been bombarded with death threats since last weekend when the body of the former teacher was  found dumped and then brought to a funeral parlor in Iligan City.

Ungab’s body was found dumped in the bushes near Barangay Lilod in Marawi City over the weekend. The place is part of the so-called “Ground Zero” of the Marawi siege last year.

Ungab’s uncle, Engr. Eleazar Gargar, said he was the one who claimed the body of the victim from the Capin Funeral Homes in Iligan City and brought it here on Sunday. (The body was not brought to Tagoloan town in Misamis Oriental contrary to what was reported in this paper yesterday.)

Gargar confirmed that it was the police from Marawi City that brought the body of Ungab to Iligan City.

Gargar said he could no longer recognize his nephew when he first saw him in the funeral parlor in Iligan.

“Maayo gani kay na-ay alom ang iyang dagway nga akong nailhan nga siya gyud ang among gipangita,” he said.

Gargar said Ungab’s face was disfigured, including the mouth.

“Sa among pagto-o, nga gi-torture ni siya ayha gipatay,” said Gargar, pointing out that both the victim’s legs were riddled with bullets and he was repeatedly stabbed to the chest, shoulders and stomach.

“Morag ang kris ang gigamit sa mga suspect nga magdunggab gihulbot, gidunggab na sab, mao tong grabi gyud ang iyang antos sa samad,” Gargar said.

Ungab’s father Alexie said he and other family members were still in a state of shock over the senseless killing.

Relatives and friends of murdered Tagoloanon Genxie Ray Ungab release white balloons into the air during the funeral yesterday at Golden Haven. (photo by Joey Nacalaban)

His son Gexie Ray, he said, had wanted to be a lawyer — the victim Genxie, he said, had never fulfilled his dream to become a lawyer. He was a third year law student at Xavier University where he had also taught philosophy to college students.

The younger Ungab was reported missing in Nov. 17. His body was found dumped and then brought to a funeral parlor in Iligan over the weekend or a week later.

Police records show that Alexie dropped his son at Divisoria at around 6 pm in Nov. 17, a Saturday. The following day, Alexie reported his son missing.

The would-be murder victim told his father that he was just going to attend a birthday party apparently with his girlfriend, a senior high school student at Xavier University who hails from Marawi City.

Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano condoled with the Ungab family whom he said was close to him. The Ungabs are from Tagoloan, Gov. Emano’s hometown.

But despite the decision of the Ungab family not to pursue a case against the killer or killers, Emano called on authorities to take it upon themselves to bring those responsible to justice.

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