Orphans can stay at Parian Drop-In Center

THE Cebu City government has offered to take custody of the five orphaned children of a couple slain on Banacon Island a day after the bloody police operation against alleged drug lord Rowen Secretaria so they can be together.

Acting Mayor Margot Osmeña said the five children of Christopher Hermosara Dejacto and his wife Ma. Theresa Cañete Dejacto can stay at the Parian Drop-in Center for children.

“But before these children will be turned over, we also need permission from the immediate family,” Osmeña told Cebu Daily News.

Maria Ana Cañete Valledo, twin sister of Ma. Theresa, told CDN that they will decide who will take custody of the children after the couple will be laid to rest.

“If we cannot sustain the needs of these children, we will turn them over. We are glad that there is now an offer to help these children,” Valledo said.

The bullet-riddled bodies of their parents were found inside the cemetery of Banacon Island a day after Secretaria and two of his alleged cohorts were killed when police came to serve a warrant of arrest against Secretaria, fueling speculation that they were the ones who told police of the alleged drug lord’s presence.

Their five orphaned children, Joshua, 17; TJ Christ, 13; Joseph, 11; Katrina, 8; and Trudis, 5 face separation as their relatives do not have the financial capacity to support all of them.

Their relatives await the burial assistance from the government. Ermita Barangay Captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta said that he will assist the family in processing the release of the burial assistance from the Cebu City government.

Meanwhile, Ryan Benjamin Yu, president of the Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative, sent a message to Cebu Daily News that he would want to extend help to the orphaned children, after reading CDN’s story yesterday.

“I want to help with their school fees and other school needs,” Yu said. He plans to meet with the children on Tuesday.