Teen boxer dies after barangay match, family seeks justice

Relatives of a 15-year-old boxer are seeking justice for his death following a bout in Compostela Valley province earlier this month.

 

The teenager had looked to boxing as a way to lift his family from poverty until he was hit hard in the head during a match last July 5, GMA Davao reported.

 

Investigation showed the teenager took part in a barangay boxing match in Barangay Magading in Nabunturan town in Compostela Valley province.

 

After a blow to the head, he died at the Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum City in Davao del Norte.

 

After finishing elementary school, the boy had wanted to follow in the footsteps of Filipino boxing icon and Sarangani representative Manny Pacquiao.

 

His relatives are claiming that the referee who worked the bout did not have the proper license, and that the barangay did not have the proper permit for the bout.

 

While the barangay's officials admitted they did not secure the proper permit, they had asked the Mayor's Office for a medical team to respond in case of emergencies. — Joel Locsin/JST, GMA News