CEBU, Philippines — A 24-year-old man sustained several injuries after he was chased and beaten by six students in front of a mall in downtown Cebu City on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
The victim, identified as Junmar Sere, a resident of Sitio Ermita Proper, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, with three children and a live-in partner, was reportedly drunk and started the fight after he punched one of the six students before running away.
Sere and the six students allegedly do not know each other, and the former just chanced upon the group, who are reportedly all graduating students.
“Tinuod ning una siya’g sumbag katong usa ka laki tungod sa kahubog siguro niya. Paghuman
niyag sumbag atong usa ni dagan siya. Ning bahad man tong unom ka laki nga ‘sge tol dagan, dagan,” said Geraldine Sere, the mother of the victim, in an interview with The Freeman.
The victim obtained several bruises and wounds in different parts of his body.
In an interview over Brigada News FM Cebu, a guard who witnessed the incident said the group reportedly ran after Junmar and beat him until he stumbled. They also allegedly hit him with a bottle until the victim lost consciousness.
“Nagdinaganay ning pito, pag-abot dri-a ang usa nahagma ug ila nang gitabangan. Pagabot nila
ila nang gi tabangan nga ma lup-og didto na ila ng gi tabangan og dukdok,” said the guard in the interview.
According to the victim’s mother, she knew of the incident when her son’s fellow e-bike drivers woke her up and told her what happened. She immediately went to the location and found her son lying on the ground, while the group were also in the area.
“Paghikap nako sa iyang ulo kay naa may murag hubag ba. Tinuod na ka sala siya, kay siya man
ang ning unag sumbag, pero kay hubog lagi. Pero naa man gyuy nisulti nga gi tabangan siya kay og wa pa lagi kuno nakakita niya, way siguro patay (na siya),” his mother said.
His mother added that someone who responded to the incident offered to bring her son to the hospital, but she refused because she did not have the money to pay for the hospital bill.
Geradine told The Freeman that they’ve settled the incident and they will not report the case, as long as the group pays for her son’s medication expenses.
The Freeman visited the Sere’s residence, and Geraldine said her son has been complaining of a headache. — (FREEMAN)