Thursday, September 14, 2006
Family sees 'foul play' in boy's death
BAGUIO CITY -- An uncle a male teenager found dead beneath the bridge along Rimando Road on September 6 dismissed on Wednesday speculations that he committed suicide.
Engineer Jefferson Walcien, uncle of victim Kirk Walcien, said his nephew did not take his own life, but was killed.
Kirk, 16, was found dead lying face down in a creek. He was supposed to celebrate his 17th birthday on September 7.
"We are hurt at the insinuations that Kirk committed suicide. He was your typical active teenager with a supportive family," Walcien said.
He said they have witnesses who heard a commotion near the bridge along Rimando Road after midnight of September 6 that was followed by a cry for help before the victim's body was discovered about 45 feet down the bridge.
Police are still investigating the incident and have yet to issue a formal report on the cause of Kirk's death. Several angles are also being looked into.
A policeman said that the teenager might have been the victim of a holdup incident. "He (Kirk) might have been thrown down the bridge when he resisted," he said.
The Walcien family, who buried Kirk last Wednesday, hoped the case would be solved soon and appealed to the police to hasten the investigation.
Residents living near the bridge, who heard the commotion, initially thought the incident was a usual street brawl. "We thought it was just another street fight. Almost every night, we hear them. That is why we are afraid to venture out at night because we fear of being held up or mugged. On occasions, we (even) hear gunshots and these alarm us very much," they said.
Since the area is home to numerous boarding houses, most of the victims are students who refuse to report to authorities that they have just been held up or threatened for fear of retaliation.
Although there are barangay security personnel patrolling the area at night, more often than not, they are ill-equipped and undermanned to deal with the brawls.
Residents are asking authorities to step up police visibility and to regulate business establishments in the area, especially those who serve alcoholic beverages and drinks to students. "Oftentimes, the trouble is caused by people who are already under the influence of alcohol," they said. (AT)
(September 14, 2006 issue)
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