2-year-old child abuse victim laid to rest in Davao City

The two-year-old boy in Davao City who died from the severe beating he suffered from his guardians was laid to rest Wednesday, a report by GMA Davao's Helen Quiñanola on "24 Oras" on Thursday said.

The report said John Earl's mother, Erlinda Cagalitan, an OFW from Bahrain, could not help but blame herself for what happened to her son.

"Nagsisisi ako dahil sa mga panahong nasasaktan siya wala ako sa tabi niya para matulungan siya," she said. "Sa murang edad niya hindi dapat nasasaktan ng ganun."

Detained in connection with the boy's death were Cagalitan's niece (not cousin as earlier reported) Sarah Jane Alcail and her live-in partner Ronillo.

Earlier reports said John Earl died after the couple beat him up for urinating on his bed.

The two, who were facing murder charges, were brought to court Wednesday for their commitment order, the report said.

Ronillo tried to seek Cagalitan's forgiveness, but the report quoted the mother as saying that she was not ready to give it yet.

Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who attended the burial, appealed to her constituents to report all instances of corporal punishment on minors through the local government's child abuse hotline.

"Kahit gaano kaliit ng sitwasyon basta may makita silang sinasaktan, kung kapitbahay ka at nakita mo, pwede namang maging anonymous ang pag-report sa information," Duterte-Carpio, who is pregnant, said.

John Earl is the second child to die from corporal punishment in Davao City in the last two months, the first one being Kean Gabriel, 3, who died from maltreatment of his stepfather in August. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News