ANGUISH TIMES TWO. Cheryl Villamor stands between the caskets of his husband, Fritz, and son, Baby James.
FRANCIS JAMES Villamor was supposed to march in his first graduation ceremony before the end of the month.
An uncle who works in Ireland had sent money so his mother Cheryl could buy him fine clothes and shoes for his big day as a nursery graduate of the community’s day care center.
Baby James however, will no longer be marching to the tune of Verdi’s triumphal march as the 5-year-old was fatally shot by father, Fritz, last Sunday. The five-year-old however, was made to wear his fine clothes as he lay peacefully in his white casket.
“Iyang bag-ong sapatos nga napalit mao na lang iyang gisuot karon sa haya (he’s wearing his new pair of shoes for his funeral),” a relative who refused to be identified told CDN.
Baby James’ doting uncle — the younger brother of his father — is expected to arrive from Ireland to bid him a final goodbye.
Family and friends remember Baby James as a sweet child.
“Mo lambing jud na siyang bataa unya jolly sad kaayo (he was a sweet and jolly child),” a relative recalled.
Fritz’s mother expressed anguish over media reports depicting his son as a drug-crazed man.
She said his son was a good man, obedient and polite.
“Before na siya mulakaw mananghid jud na siya pirmi nako (before she leaves the house, she always asks permission),” the mother, who refused to give her name, said.
Fritz, according to her mother was also not an “addict” as reported by some media outfits.
“Grabi kaayo sila mo storya. Nasakitan ko kay wala baya sila kaila sa akong anak (I feel so aggrieved by the inaccurate portrayal of my son because they do not know who he was),” the mother said.
She told Cebu Daily News that her son worked with the local government unit as a garbage truck dispatcher.
But he resigned continued the mother, and transferred to the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB). Contrary to reports, he was not fired, but resigned because of better pay at the HLURB, she added.
“He needs to transfer there because of salary purposes because he had five children and a wife to feed,” she said.
Richard Cabasan, 26, an uncle of the 5-year old boy told CDN that before the tragedy happened, the child was seen in the basketball court with his father. “His father bought him a bottled tea drink and brought him inside the house,” Cabasan said.
“Kung unsay ganahan nga pagkaon sa bata iya jud ng paliton. Ug mag trabaho sad siya, iya sad ning dad-on ang bata (He‘ feeds the child his favorite food and even brings the child to his workplace and buy whatever his son would like to eat. He even brings his son along when he goes to work.)” he said.
They were seen going inside their house at around 2 p.m Sunday. The gunshots were heard at around 4 p.m.
Based on their investigation, the father committed suicide after he allegedly shot his son. They were found slumped with fatal bullet wounds in the living room of their house.
Police investigators have so far ruled out a third party to the tragedy or foul play.