Their killers are not humans, say families of slain teenage boys

The families of the two 15-year-old boys who were found brutally murdered after missing for days said the victims had encountered a devil.

According to Emil Sumangil’s report on “24 Oras,” the bodies of Carl Justine Banogon and Chormel Buenaflor were found floating on water in an area in Isla Puting Bato, not far from where they lived.

The victims were stuffed in body bags while their legs, arms, and heads were wrapped in tape.

Though no autopsy result has been released, stab marks were found on the victims’ heads and bodies while their necks were slashed.

The family of Buenaflor also said a smiley face was drawn on his body using an icepick.

“Bilang isang magulang, masakit na ganunin ‘yung anak mo, paglaruan, parang blackboard. Eh, pagtapos paglaruan, lagyan mo ‘yung dibdib ng bala, laslasin mo ‘yung leeg,” Buenaflor’s father said.

“Para sa akin, kahit sino, 15 anyos. Ano ba naman laban niyan? Nakatagpo ‘yung anak ko ng demonyo,” he added.

Meanwhile, Buenaflor’s grandmother questioned the humanity of the suspects.

“Parang hindi ko tanggap, eh. Dapat binaril na lang nila, isang baril na lang. Grabe ‘yun, puro may tusok ang tao sa ulo. Mga tao ho ba ‘yan?” she said.

The family said the two boys had asked permission to play basketball. Buenaflor had also hugged his father before leaving.

“'Pa, mahal na mahal kita.' Bumalik. 'Pa, baka 'di na ako makabalik.' 'Huwag ka magsalita ng ganyan, ‘nak, magdasal ka. ‘Lika na umuwi na tayo. Kinakabahan ako sa 'yo.'  '‘Di, Pa, alam ko 'to.' 'Sige, 'nak, ingat ka,'” Buenaflor’s father said.

The families do not have a suspect in mind.

Meanwhile, the Manila Police District has coordinated with the victims’ respective barangays.

“Bago po ‘yan, dalawang kagawad ko po namura niya. Medyo may talagang kasakitan sa ulo po ‘yan. Pangalawa po, 2018 'yan po ay nang-agaw ng baril doon sa Tutuban. Kaya parang may grupo sila eh,” Ariel Pioroda, Barangay 119 captain, said.

“Medyo pasaway talaga ‘yang batang ‘yan. Ang kuwan naman niya, ‘yung mga tsinelas, cellphone… pero sa barangay din ilang beses na nahuli ng mga tanod ko, ‘yung mahilig magmura din ‘yan,” Rufus Ventura of Barangay 118 said.

Police authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

“Iniimbestigahan na po ‘yan. On follow-up tapos hindi naman po tumitigil ang kapulisan para po malutas ang insidente,” Police Lieutenant Rowell Robles, commander of the MPD Don Bosco Precinct, said.

The family said the murder of the children were wrong even if they had committed a wrongdoing.

“Kung sakaling may kasalanan ‘yung apo ko, sana hindi naman gano'n na babuyin, anuhin, o patayin. Nilunod pa sa dagat,” Banogon’s grandmother said.

The families are hoping for justice.

“Kung sino ka man, demonyo ka. Panginoon, alam ko nagpapatawad Siya, eh. Pero ito hindi ito dapat patawarin ng Diyos 'to,” Buenaflor’s father said. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF/KG, GMA News