Boy, 11, accused of killing 9-year-old boy

MANILA, Philippines - An 11-year-old boy reportedly beat up a nine-year-old boy and left him to drown in a rainwater-filled excavation at a construction site in Taguig City Monday, a police official said yesterday.

The victim, a second grader, was playing with a friend at the construction site of a high-rise building along 26th street in Fort Bonifacio when the older boy, a third grader, and his companion approached them at around 12:45 p.m. and demanded money from the victim and his playmate, Southern Police District director Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona said.

When the victim refused, the older boy allegedly beat him up and pushed him into the excavation. The victim’s playmate ran home.

“The victim failed to go home since (that day),” Estipona said.

When his playmate learned that the victim was missing, he told his mother about what happened at the construction site. The mother informed the victim’s parents and asked the police to proceed to the excavation area and find the missing boy.

“After hours of snorkeling, the victim’s body was fished out,” Estipona said.

Police officers went to the older boy’s house to inform his parents, who surrendered their son. He was turned over to the local social welfare office but was later released into his parents’ custody.

“He will not be charged because he is a minor. Under the law, minors do not have criminal liabilities,” said Taguig police chief Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario.

Estipona said the parents of the nine-year-old will file a civil case against the parents of the older boy and his companion, whose age has yet to be determined.

Police investigators have summoned the contractors and owners of the construction site to determine if they could be held liable for the incident.