Maasin City, Southern Leyte - A retired worker of a box factory for soft drinks in Butuan City, now an SSS pensioner who was living alone in his small house in sitio Sumayod,brgy.Amparo,Macrohon was bludgeoned by a young attacker inside his residence one evening at past 7:00p.m.(Sunday) recently.

The victim was identified as Ernesto Sescon, 66 years old, unmarried The young suspect was identified as Carlon (not his real name), 13 years old, also a residence of sitio Sumayod.

In an interview with the victim at the provincial hospital, he claimed his young attacker was one of his friends in the neighborhood. He said he used to give him occasionally something to eat or even gave some loose coins.

Before the attack at about 6:00p.m., he said, some of his young friends were there at the store with video karaoke.. There they were having some kind of entertainment before he went to bed..

Not long after while he was lying on his bed, he claimed that a young boy entered his house and started hitting him with a piece of wood on the upper parts of his body.

He said the attacker also bit both his right and left arms several times as manifested by some redness that looked like burns and wounds. He has some injuries on his head and his eyes were reddish. There was a wound on his neck slashed by the suspect with a broken mirror, he said. Luckily the slashing did not cut the neck?s main veins seriously thus saving his delicate throat.

He said he frantically defended himself as his attacker continued to hit him until he shouted for help and some neighbors rushed to his house.

The boy left quickly, he said, and allegedly ran away with his money amounting to P1, 000.00. The suspect who hid somewhere in the vicinity by covering himself to cancel his identity was latter caught by the apprehending Macrohon police officers.

In an investigation, the young suspect told police that he has 2 other companions when he entered at the victim?s house.However, the suspect?s statement was denied by the victim himself. He claimed he was conscious during the attack and that there was only one attacker and no other.

When asked about the stolen money at the victim?s residence, as the police inspected his pocket, the suspect told police investigators that the P200 he has in his pocket was lent from 2 of his friends in the neighborhood. He denied stealing the money of his victim.

After the investigation the suspect being an underage was turned over to the DSWD office in Macrohon town for temporary custody.

Petition For Transfer

Meanwhile, the younger brother of the victim, Braullo Sescon, Jr., 60 years old, married, said he has petitioned to the DSWD office for the transfer of the suspect to Davao where the latter?s aunt was living with her family.

He explained he wanted the boy to be away from their place in sitio Sumayod to avoid another incidence of violence and alleged thievery that the boy might commit in the near future. He disclosed the boy has already committed 2 crimes in the past but the recent incident was the worst.

He further explained the solution might involve his parents if the latter would not allow their son to travel alone to Davao.?It would be better if the young suspect and his parents would leave the place for the good and safety of their son?, the younger Sescon said.

Moreover, he clarified that the petition is the only way that the young suspect can avoid another trouble in the neighborhood which might endanger his life and that of his parents. ?Some of the neighbors now have started to hate him because of what he did to my older brother?, he said.

Nevertheless, Braullo?s wife had told him at the hospital that upon the request of the suspect?s parents, a DSWD staff wanted them instead to sign an affidavit for an amicable settlement of the case.

But Braullo reiterated saying, ?Our petition to let their son and the whole family migrate to Davao is the only effective way to avoid another trouble in our place with their problematic son?.

He pointed out he is not agreeable with the signing of the affidavit to settle the case as proposed by a DSWD staff. The only option, he said, is to let the boy and his parents migrate to Davao.

?If their petition to transfer the boy to Davao will not be materialized?, he stressed, ?he will be forced to include the suspect?s parents in his court litigation?. (Quirico M. Gorpido,.Jr.)

About the Contributor:

Mr. Quirico M. Gorpido Jr was an erstwhile Correspondent/Contributor to the following weeklies and dailies: Tacloban-based regional weekly a 33-year-old The Reporter for many years(now defunct), a Cebu-based weekly The Visayan Express(now defunct),Cebu-based daily The Freeman(1994-1998) now a sister publication of The Philippine Star, Maasin-based weekly The Southern Leyte Times for three years, Tacloban-based daily The Leyte Samar Daily Express(2000-2001), Cebu-based daily the Cebu Daily News(2002-2003), Tacloban-based weekly 7-year-old Tribune(2003-2007).