Family of boy killed by fallen post still waiting for Veco aid

Edmund Boreros views the remains of his 13-year-old son Ralph Bureros inside a chapel in barangay Tinago.
(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

FIVE days after a utility  post fell and killed a 13-year-old boy and injured two other minors at a barbecue stall on  MacArthur  Boulevard in  Cebu City,  their families have yet to receive the financial aid promised to them by the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco).

In a visit to the wake of 13-year-old Ralph Burerros in a chapel of barangay Tinago, his father Edmundo said he has not  heard from Veco personnel since their settlement at the Waterfront Police Station on Wednesday.

BACK STORY: Boy died, girl injured in electric post collapse | Veco electric pole falls, kills Tejero boy | Veco extends aid in wake of fallen post

“We have not received anything yet. They have not contacted us,” the father said in Cebuano as he glanced at his son’s coffin.

He said the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) company gave the family P15,000 as financial aid, which he used to pay the funeral parlor and the cost of the chapel’s electricity, where the vigil wake is held.

But he said the coffin hasn’t been paid for yet and he doesn’t know how to cover it.

Ralph, a grade 3 pupil, will be buried on Monday at the Carreta cemetery.

The concrete post, which fell after low-lying wires were snagged by a passing truck, turned out to belong to the PLDT.

Barangay officials, who complained earlier of the dangling wires,  had called Veco for assistance, which sent linemen from their service contractor.

Jill Verallo, head of Veco’s reputation enhancement division, told CDN last night that Veco will stand by its promise to give “humanitarian assistance” to the boy’s family.

She said a check was prepared last Friday and only needs a letter request for assistance from the family.

She pointed out that the pole does not belong to Veco and there were “no electric wires” attached to the pole.

Liability for the fatal accident is still a matter of  debate as no utility  firm is taking responsibility for the dangling wires.

The truck that snagged the overhead cables or its driver has not been  identified.

Tinago barangay captain Joel Garganera earlier flared up over the boy’s death, which was the third incident that day involving dangling wires in that  site.

A PLDT official earlier explained that while the post belongs to them, the wires attached to it belong to various utility firms who are considered co-wners.

Expenses

Ralph was impaled by a piece of wood from the table where he was seated, waiting for his order of barbecue being cooked. Two of the injured girls  sustained minor cuts and burns.

“For me I just want him to be put to rest and receive proper burial. If only I had the money I would  file a case against those who are  responsible, but what I can do, I was born poor,”  sai d his father Edmundo. Edmundo said his wife who attended the wake last Wednesday night could not accept the fate of Ralph.

The couple has been separated for four years, Ralph’s mother seldom saw their child.

Teachers from Tejero Elementary School including his 52-year-old adviser Gorgonia Manzo attended Ralph’s wake.

Tinago barangay chairman  Garganera said he was embarrassed that no financial aid was given by Veco to the Burerros family and the families of the two other kids who were hurt during the incident.

Garganera said Veco representatives  signed papers at the Waterfront Police last Friday.

“It has been five days, no aid. If they are still interested, they could have approached the families but nothing. I don’t think they are interested to help anymore,” Garganera said.