Suspected hazing victim beaten up by stepfather?

CEBU, Philippines -  Aside from the “hazing” angle that homicide investigators are pursuing in the death of a 17-year-old boy in Barangay Labangon, the police yesterday got wind of the information the victim was beaten up by his stepfather before his death.

Senior Police Officer 4 Alex Dacua of the Cebu City Police Office said they received information that Jhon Michael Mina was mauled by Richard Perez Tuesday dawn.

“Mao na among bag-o nadawat nga impormasyon nga gi-kulata kuno ang biktima sa iyang stepfather,” Dacua told The FREEMAN.

Dacua said they are planning to invite Perez and the victim’s mother, Mylene, today for questioning.

Dacua clarified that their initial findings of hazing was only based on the extent of the injuries that they saw on the victim’s body.

“Amo gyud gi-kita ang iyang mga bun-og hilabi na sa paa nga di gyud ana ka grabe na bun-og,” he said.

He also said they are still waiting for the official autopsy report to clarify everything about the victim’s “mysterious” death. “Bisag dugay, mao na lang na atong gihuwat aron matubag na tanang pangutana,” he said.

Mina, resident of sitio Sihay, Tres de Abril, Barangy Punta Princesa, Cebu City died Tuesday dawn inside a taxi while being rushed to Cebu City Medical Center after he complained of extreme stomachaches. The victim has a history of ulcer. 

CCMC doctors later discovered that Mina sustained various contusions in the different parts of his body. Hospital authorities then called up the police to check the boy’s body.

Before his death the victim reportedly asked permission from his mother to play computer games in an Internet café near their rented house. The boy went home at around 4:00 o’clock dawn of Tuesday with several bruises.

When asked what happened to him, he just told his mother that he got into a fistfight with someone.

But shortly after he arrived home he started vomiting and complains of stomach pains prompting his mother to rush him to the hospital. However he was already declared dead on arrival at the CCMC. — (FREEMAN)