DAVAO CITY—Mayor Sara Duterte on Sunday apologized to the mother of a two-year-old boy who died following severe physical abuse at the hands of his guardians.
“I asked for forgiveness because had we known, maybe we could have saved him,” the mayor told the media after the burial of Jhon Earl Cagalitan.
Duterte comforted the boy’s grieving mother, Erlinda, at the burial. She offered help, including legal services.
“I am really sorry for what happened,” the mayor told the mother, an overseas Filipino worker in Bahrain. “I am sorry because we did not know that Jhon Earl was suffering from abuse. We did not know what he was going through.”
Duterte has hired a private prosecutor to pursue appropriate charges against the suspects, Ronilo and Sarah Jane Alcain. The latter is Erlinda’s niece.
Erlinda left her son under the care of Sarah Jane after she found a job in Bahrain.
“I left because I had dreams and plans for my family,” she said.
After the burial, Duterte called on the public to help the local government in its campaign against child abuse.
“If you know a child who is suffering from abuse, tell us and we will save the child,” she said. “You can help us end the suffering of a child or we can save the child from death.”
Last month, the city government launched the Kean Gabriel Hotline. By texting or calling 0908-818-4444, a team of professionals will rescue an abused child.
The hotline was named after Kean Gabriel, the 7-year-old boy who also died of physical abuse in August.