Son of Pinay killed in Singapore crash pleads for mom to come home

While many spent the New Year's Eve waiting for the clock to strike at 12, two siblings anxiously waited for updates about the repatriation of their mother's' remains.

Jhef Umoquit and Jackie Lyne Leste saw no reason to celebrate after their mother Abigail was killed in a car accident in Singapore last Sunday.

Abigail was one of two Filipinos killed when a car slammed a metal railing in Lucky Plaza, a popular hub for the Filipino community in Singapore. Four others were hurt in the incident.

Last Tuesday, Jhef took to social media to beg his mother to come home.

“Mama paano kami ngayon, binigla mo naman kami,” he said in Ilocano. “Hindi namin kaya na mawala ka. Ma, tawag ka na o chat ka na sa’min. Ang ganda pa ng usapan natin kahapon tapos bigla namin malalaman na may nangyari pala sa’yo.”

In an interview with Singapore-based publication The Straits Times, Jackie said their mother was the sole breadwinner of the family.

Jhef said Abigail had been working abroad for 14 years. The last time they celebrated the holidays together was in 2016.

“Uwi ka lang na humihinga sa’min mama. Kahit mahirap ang pamumuhay natin mama, umuwi ka na. Hindi namin kaya na mawala ka sa’min,” he pleaded.

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore earlier assured families of the victims that they are working to bring their loved ones’ remains back home as soon as possible.

“Mahal na mahal ka namin ng sobra mama ko… mag-video call na tayo mama, tawagan mo na kami please. Hintayin namin tawag mo mama ko,” Jhef said. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LBG, GMA News