14-year-old Grade Five pupil Kulot remembered for kindness, diligence

Fourteen-year-old Reynaldo De Guzman or Kulot should be in Grade Nine but a lack of steady funds and the need to earn through odd jobs held him back by a few years.

According to Emil Sumangil's report on "24 Oras," De Guzman persisted and more than made up for it whenever he could attend his classes as a Grade Five pupil.

"Pagka-tinatanong ko siya kung bakit hindi siya nakapasok, sinasabi naman niya na kasama siya nung kanyang tatay, nagkakarpintero, sumasama po sa paghahanap-buhay," one of De Guzman's teachers Bernard Gonzales said.

"Maayos naman pong estudyante namin 'yan. 'Yan po ay mabait, masipag at madali pong utusan," Gonzales added.

De Guzman's friends at school also had fond memories of him.

"Pag kumain po ako, binibigyan ko po siya tapos naging best friends po kami," said a friend of De Guzman's. "Mabait po siya at mapagbigay po."

De Guzman's good record with his peers and teachers was reflected in his school records and standing with the barangay.

"Kung ang isang bata ay walang interes sa pag-aaral at ikaw ay katorse anyos na ngayon, para pumasok ka sa Grade 5 na kasama mo 10-taong-gulang, eh iba yun. May willingness matuto siya," Maybunga Barangay Chairman Hon. Barok Alvarez said.

Eduardo Gabriel, De Guzman's father, said his son was rambunctious but affectionate and often helped him with his carpentry and his wife Lina in selling fish.

"'Pag natutulog kami, panay dumadantay yung tuhod niya sa amin, yung mga paa niya, binti," Eduardo said of his son.

"Naglalabor ho, bahay. Gumagawa-gawa, tumutulong-tulong, naghahalo ng semento. Bibili ng ulam 'yan, niluto namin. Sabi niya Tay, ako bumili niyan," he added.

Fond memories of the teenager made the discovery of De Guzman's body in Kinamatayang Kabayo creek in Gapan, Nueva Ecija even more hurtful.

"Tumutulong pa siya sa gardening. Kaya nung nakita ko yung ginawa sa kanya, parang ang sakit. Bilang naging teacher niya, parang grabe naman yung nangyari sa kanya," said De Guzman's class adviser.

His friend said, "Naglalaro kami, sabay nagtatawanan, nagaasaran. Yung nagpatay sa kanya masama."

Autopsy conducted by the Public Attorney's Office revealed that De Guzman was beaten up before he was stabbed to death.

His fate was revealed days after his companion on the night of his disappearance, 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz, was laid to rest.

Disappearance with Arnaiz

Alias Bisaya could not believe that the last time he would see De Guzman—his childhood friend from Anak Pawis, Cainta, Rizal—was at a drinking session with Arnaiz and a few other friends on the night of August 17.

The alleged drinking session took place in a house owned by one of their unnamed friends, near Bisaya and Kulot's homes, in Barangay San Andres.

It was during session that Arnaiz allegedly invited De Guzman to get some fast-food with him, though the older teen allegedly carried a hammer and screwdriver when they stepped out.

"Nagiinuman pa nga po sila. Dun na sila umalis. Sinabi na Kulot, sama ka," Bisaya said. "Meron daw dala si Angelo na martilyo at screwdriver."

De Guzman's mother said earlier that her son's friend MJ told her that Arnaiz supposedly planned to rob a taxi driver with her boy on the night of their disappearance with three others.

She insisted that her son did not join Arnaiz in the heist, though she expressed doubt in the accuracy of the information.

The father of Arnaiz, a former UP student, insisted that his son was never involved in any crime and was innocent of the robbery allegations.

Caloocan City police stated that Arnaiz was allegedly killed in a firefight he supposedly started by firing on officers who approached him for allegedly robbing a taxi driver.

Police have yet to track down Tomas Marleo Bagcal, the taxi driver Arnaiz allegedly robbed. —Rie Takumi/NB, GMA News