Gift bomb victim's daughter 'saw everything'

MANILA, Philippines -  Gift bomb victim Yvonne Chua’s only child, a six-year-old girl, seems to be just like any child her age – she still likes to play, shop for toys, and sticks to her father like glue.

But on a drizzly Thursday afternoon, when the gongs for the dragon dance during the Chinese New Year celebration at a Makati mall started to play, the girl covered her ears.

“I’m scared,” she whispered to her dad, Vinson, who was then being interviewed by The STAR.

Vinson’s maid told him that his daughter wanted to go to the bathroom but refuses to be taken by anyone other than her dad.

“She became easily frightened right after incident. Before she would just cover her ears but now…,” Vinson failed to finish his sentence as he shook his head.

The girl was eating breakfast when her mother opened a gift-wrapped package containing five different grenades, which exploded at their house in Mahogany Phase 3 subdivision, Taguig City at about 10 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2010. The curtains, television, and walls surrounding her were hit by shrapnel but the child was unhurt even though she was only less than five meters away from Yvonne, 32.

“She saw everything. I’m sure she knows. I’m just thankful that she didn’t get hurt,” Vinson said as he tried to hold back tears.

According to Vinson, his daughter immediately screamed for their maid, Krizelda, to come to her. He said the girl grabbed Krizelda’s hand and they went into the van, where she knelt down and prayed.

“You know, ours is not a religious family but that gesture convinced me that my daughter really saw how her mama died,” he said.

Vinson was out of the house when the explosion took place. ”They didn’t tell what it was but I was shocked when I saw policemen in front of our house. I ran inside and my knees weakened after seeing Yvonne’s bloodied legs,” he said.

The next thing Vinson did was look for his daughter. Upon seeing him, the first thing the girl said was, “Papa, I’ve been praying to Papa Jesus that Mama will wake up, that Mama will be all right.” 

Vinson said he refused to talk about Yvonne’s death with his daughter for fear that he might say something that will add to her trauma, as he noted several changes in her behavior since the explosion.

His daughter would now embrace Vinson – instead of her security pillow – when she sleeps at night. She also developed a habit of watching the television for long hours, which their psychologist said could be her way of coping with her mother’s death.

“She was trembling with fear whenever she hears firecrackers. Last New Year, I had to turn on the television and put her to bed early,” said Vinson.

His daughter has become averse to gifts, he said. “When her friend gave her a gift last (Dec. 31 and Jan. 1), she didn’t like to open it. She wanted them to open it together. That’s very unusual for her because normally she tears gifts open,” Vinson said.

Vinson said he is working hard to ensure that his child will still lead a normal life. He does not cry in front of her even if their psychologist told him that it was all right to do so. He only cries when he is alone or when he visits their Mahogany house. They no longer live there.

“Every day I visit Taguig. It is there that I cry and talk to my wife. I would often imagine what our life would be like had it not been for that incident,” he said.  

Vinson said they are now living an “empty life” because Yvonne was the “light” of their family, “who would usually crack jokes.”

“Had I known that things will turn out like this, I would have asked Yvonne to waive her rights on their family properties,” he said.

Police are eyeing family conflict as a motive behind the killing. Yvonne’s mother, Arlene Padilla, and brother Arnold are eyed as suspects. Vinson was initially included as a suspect until the police filed murder charges against the Padillas’ former housemaid, who allegedly brought the bomb to the Chuas’ house in Paranaque City.

The Padillas have denied any involvement in the killing and accused the policemen of being determined to pin them down as masterminds. In a letter sent to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Arlene decried the police’s alleged bias in the investigation.

Vinson said he hopes “this case gets solved soon because I want to move on. I want to mourn. I haven’t grieved properly because it’s difficult. I don’t want my daughter to see my weakness.”