PUBLIC Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta has personally assured the family of an 8-year-old boy who was brutally murdered in San Pablo City late last week of justice.
Accompanied by Deputy Chief Public Attorney Erwin Erfe, concurrent PAO’s Forensics Laboratory Division director, Rueda-Acosta on Monday visited the wake of Gianni Rick Nordero, a Grade 3 pupil from Barangay Santiago 2, also in the city, who went missing on Friday morning as he was supposed to go to school.
He was later found brutally murdered at a grassy area near a cave, also in the same village, with several hack wounds in the body and injuries to his ear and several broken ribs, according to the police reports.
The victim’s sister, Genalyn Manalo, who sought the help of Rueda-Acosta, has appealed to the concerned authorities to help them find justice for the grisly killing of her brother.
Preliminary investigations showed that the victim was already in his school uniform while waiting for his father who would take him to school when he suddenly disappeared.
At the wake, Manalo told Rueda-Acosta that they would never think that her brother would experience such a gruesome fate as they initially thought that he only went to school ahead although his bag was left behind.
In a television interview, the victim’s sister recalled that her brother was excited to go to school at the time where he and classmates would have a dance presentation after an exam.
She said that their father hurriedly went to the school to bring his bag, but he was not there. He went back to the school several times but could not locate his son.
Police reports indicated that the victim’s body was discovered past 11 a.m. on the same day at a grassy area near a cave in a secluded place where houses are far apart.
Lt. Col. Redentor Tiraña, city police chief, said that the police have identified a male person of interest but Erfe told The Manila Times that PAO received information that the person of interest was ordered released for further investigation.
“If this is true, the family will be at risk, and would need police protection,” Erfe said.
“The PAO with its Legal and Forensic Teams are ready to help the family and the investigators,” he added.
Annie Gabito, of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, told The Manila Times that her group, which was the first to go to the crime scene with lawmen, was also assisting the family.
