Princess Urielle wanted a wristwatch for her 11th birthday last Saturday so she texted her father, PO3 Junrel Kibete if he could buy her one.
Kibete gave his daughter, one of three children he had with his partner based in Argao town, Cebu, the money before he was sent off along with 43 Special Action Forces (SAF) commandos to Mamasapano town, Maguindanao province last Sunday.
Princess and her sisters Antoniette Jhaenen, 9, and Althea Isabel, 7, cried with their mother on seeing the remains of PO3 Kibete in a casket at the Camp Bagong Diwa Multi-Purpose Hall in Taguig City at past 8 a.m last Friday.
They were among the families who listened to President Benigno Aquino III give his reassurance that justice will be served for the deaths of the commandos who perished in a hail of gunfire in a misencounter with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces.
Chief Supt. Augusto Marquez Jr., deputy director for the PNP Directorate for Investigation based in Camp Crame, said in a radio interview that the children and the mother wept loudly on seeing Kibete’s remains, drawing sympathy and tears from those who witnessed the scene.
“The whole gymnasium nahilom nay nanghilak ning mga bataa, kusog kaayo ang ilang hilak ug sakit kaayo paminawon. Kadtong mga Cabinet officials nakaapil ganig hilak (The whole gymnasium was silent when the children cried. They cried so loudly and it hurt to listen to them. Some Cabinet officials cried with them),” Marquez said.
On learning about Princess’ request, Marquez said he told the girl to keep the money and buy other things for herself as he promised to buy her a watch when she returns to Argao town.
Originally from San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan, Kibete had been active in the PNP since 2005.
He graduated with a BS Criminology degree from the Central Visayas Polytechnic College. He was 34 years old.
His remains will be buried in Bulacan, where his parents live.
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