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Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Boy wants father's killers dead
By Aurea A. Gerundio
DAVAO -- The 10-year-old son of a suspected thief who was killed shortly after being released from jail Monday said he could recognize his father's killer if he sees the man again.
"I saw my father shot to death and I can recognize the face of his killer if I see him again," said the son of Wilfredo Gabia, who was shot dead with another man also just released from jail.
The suspects in their killings: two gunmen on motorcycles without a plate number and believed to be the same persons victimizing crime suspects and convicts in Davao City.
Gabia and the other offender were killed just a few minutes after stepping out of the lock-up cell of the Heinous Crime Investigation Section (HCIS).
Davao City councilors expressed dismay over the killings.
"That would not speak well of the city, considering there is already an increase in the number of policemen in the force," Librado said.
She called the attention of Davao City Police Office Director Conrado Laza to the incident and urged him to conduct a thorough investigation.
Davao City Mayor Duterte remained calm on the execution of the suspected pickpockets.
On suspicion that members of HCIS perpetrated the killing, the mayor said, "Well, that's their suspicion."
If there were groups that complained about the previous salvage victims being minors, those who were killed recently were not minors, Duterte said.
"Kit-an man gyud nako nga gibaril sa ulo akong papa. Gipatay nila akong papa," the boy wailed. (I saw my father shot in the head. They killed my papa.)
The boy condemned the perpetrators and said he know his father to be a good man. "Dili gani na mamunal sa akoa akong papa," he said. (I was not even beaten once by my father.)
The child's mother said the boy was really close to his father.
"Mas suod gyud na siya sa iyang papa kaysa sa akoa mao nga sakit kaayo sa iya ang nahitabo. Nakakita pa gyud siya. Tupad man na sila sa sakyanan pagbaril sa akong bana," Gabia's wife said. (He is really closer to his father. And he saw the killing. They were sitting beside each other when my husband was shot.)
The wife, who refused to be identified, said Noel Rabia, the other theft suspect killed by the motorcycle-riding gunmen, even asked her husband jokingly if he was wearing a bullet-proof vest as they were about to leave the HCIS office.
Gabia's son said the motorcycle of the gunmen looked similar to the one parked just outside the HCIS office.
But at his young age, the boy seemed to realize the danger of knowing too much about a crime.
"Muhilom na lang ko ani kay basi pati ako initan, unya patyon pud nila," he said. (I won't talk any further as the gunmen might also kill me.)
The boy said he would never forget that his father embraced him tightly when the gunmen peppered him and his companion with bullets.
"Iya ko'ng gigakos ug maayo para di siguro ko maigo sa uban pa nga bala," he recalled. (He embraced me tight in an effort to protect me from the bullets.)
The boy hopes the police will conduct a thorough investigation of the case.
"Gusto nako madakpan pud ang nipatay sa akong papa o kaha mamatay sab sila," he said. (I want those who killed my father captured or killed.)
(June 18, 2003 issue)
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