CEBU, Philippines - The father of the four-year-old boy who was stabbed to death by a balut vendor is motivated to fight against illegal drugs as his son was finally laid to rest yesterday afternoon at the Calamba Cemetery along V. Rama Avenue, Cebu City.
“Di lang tutukan, palig-unon pa gyud, pangusgan atong kampanya batok sa illegal nga druga gyud. Lisod na daghan pa unya mga bata nga inosente mabiktima,” said Police Officer 1 Emmanuel Martinez, a member of the drug enforcement unit of San Nicolas Police Station.
Last week, Emmanuel “Eman” Martinez Jr. met his untimely death after 49-year-old Danilo Remulta stabbed him with a kitchen knife, inflicting a deep wound that grazed the child’s heart.
Remulta, who later admitted that he had been on drugs when the incident happened, said he was provoked by the voices he was hearing, taunting him about being balhug.
Martinez, who witnessed his son vomit blood before collapsing, rushed Eman to a medical facility but, ten minutes later, the boy was declared dead.
“Dong, love ka ni Papa, Dong,” said the grieving father as he placed the small coffin in the tomb.
The family also placed police toys inside the tomb with him as Eman’s dream had been to become a policeman like his father.
Martinez, for his part, is motivated to fight against illegal drug in the community given that his son was also killed by a person who admitted he had been using shabu prior to the incident.
He said parents should be wary of their child’s surroundings as incidents like this can happen anywhere, even in a familiar environment.
“Dili ta mukompyansa. Wa ta kahibaw sa utok sa mga tawo, labi na katong naggamit sa drugas,” Martinez added, citing that the stabbing of his son happened just a few meters away from their house in Barangay Duljo Fatima.
A case of murder will be filed against Remulta on Monday, in relation to Republic Act 7610 which provides a stronger deterrence and special protection against child abuse. (FREEMAN)