A 9-year-old boy was killed and several others were injured when a vehicle plowed into a group of children resting by the roadside in Barangay Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City.

The children, seven to 13 years old, had just finished playing and were taking a break when a vehicle rammed into them before slamming into a house.

Police identified the fatality as Russel Aquino, a cheerful and kind-hearted child who had dreams of becoming a police officer.

“Bago pupunta sa eskwela, magpapaalam, hahalik muna sa akin,” Maribel Aquino, Russel's mother, said.

Six of the children who were injured have been discharged but two remain in the hospital, as of this writing, including one who was impaled by a metal rod from the wall of the house that collapsed.

The driver, identified as Hannibal Mores, a neighbor of the victims, claimed he lost control of the vehicle due to a mechanical defect and swerved to avoid a woman and a tricycle.

“Nagkaroon ng mechanical defect… may iniwasan siyang babae at trike tapos kinabig niya sa kanan,” PLTCOL Brendon Palisoc, chief of the Dagupan City Police Station, said.

Mores, now in police custody, expressed remorse over the incident.

“Ipinagdarasal ko na kung maaari, mapatawad ako ng pamilya. Hindi ko sinadya. Wala namang taong sasadyain na mangyari yun,” he said.

Russel’s family is seeking justice for the boy’s death.

“Yun po ang kailangan namin ngayon. Hindi po mababayaran yung pagkamatay sa anak ko. Hindi ko matanggap,” Maribel said.