Editorial: Discipline, not death

“ALLANA BLANCHE NOLAN is dead. She was beaten so bad that her kidneys and brain were bleeding. She was six when she died. She was supposed to turn seven the day after her death. The suspects in the alleged beating are her parents,” reads one of the many wall posts of dyEZ Aksyon Radyo-Bacolod on Facebook, which lately has been dedicated to seeking justice for an innocent life lost in the hands of her own parents.

Through Facebook, dyEZ Aksyon Radyo has elicited numerous reactions of disheartenment and disgust from friends near and far that yesterday, a candle-lighting ceremony initiated by the station's Operation Tulong Task Force was held in memory of the six-year-old girl who was battered to death a day before her birthday.

The indignant dyEZ Aksyon Radyo went on, “the investigation has not yet been finished... Unfortunately, the social welfare department DID NOT conduct a case study. A lot of things could have been uncovered through it. Again, they DID NOT. Sad. We can only presume a lot of things now.”

As the parents cower behind bars, shut silent by the presumption of law in favor of their innocence until proven guilty, we can only indeed speculate.

Looking at her picture taken when she was still alive, one couldn't avoid the gripping sadness in her eyes. She was smiling, but her lips were pulled down in sorrow.

Now her remains lie encased in a pink coffin buried in Negros Oriental where she spent most of her few years on earth, where she could have been alive had she stayed on with her grandparents.

While she rests in peace, let the light of justice for Allana symbolize justice for all children undergoing similar maltreatment from their own parents. There are so many Allanas and Allans crying out loud in muffled silence, stiffled by their being “children” and simply disregarded. To the parents who can be just as heartless, may this example condemn your souls and perhaps, just perhaps, turn your hearts around.

The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go...” Train up, not torture down. “And even when he is old he will not turn away from it...” he is expected to grow old and grow up, not die young and beaten up.

Discipline is not the same as death.