13-year-old shot dead in Villasis, Pangasinan

A 13-year-old boy was shot dead by still-unidentified gunmen in Villasis, Pangasinan, with police not ruling out a case of mistaken identity.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Russel Simorio on Tuesday, Charles Edward Serquiña was selling balut with his mother at a wake in Barangay Puelay when the killers rode up on a motorcycle and shot the child repeatedly. 

“Bigla na lang siyang binaril. Hindi man lang nila tinitignan kung ano 'yung binabaril, bata o matanda. Tignan nyo naman 'yung anak ko, batang-bata pa,” Charles' grieving mother Carina said as she sat by his coffin.

(They suddenly shot him. They didn't even look to see who they were shooting, young or old. Look at my son, he was so young.)

Police said the victim's age and the lack of any possible motive are leading them to believe the killers had thought the boy was somebody else.

“Doon ang pinupuntahan ng investigation namin kasi itong biktima ay considering na minor, wala naman silang kalaban pati pamilya niya, wala [ring] kalaban,” said Villasis Police Chief Police Major Glenn Dulay.

(That's where our investigation is going because the victim was a minor, with no enemies, and his family had no enemies.)

Charles' friends and family seek justice.

“Kung sino man ang pumatay sa kapatid ko, sumuko ka na. Please. Kasi ayaw namin ng ganito. Kawawa naman ang kapatid ko, walang kaalam-alam,” added the victim’s sister Necaella.

(Whoever murdered my brother, give yourselves up. Please. We don't want this. My poor brother was so innocent.) — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News