Not Yet Sikat

Amiel Alcantara was the 10 year old fourth grader from Ateneo who met an untimely death when he was hit by a speeding car in the school’s parking lot. His half-eaten sandwich fell to the ground and his 13 year old brother pulled him out from under the car. He was buried yesterday and Noemi shares the words spoken by Pepe Alcantara (his father) during the funeral:

“…I have to tell you this . For the last couple of days, I have been told “God works in the mysterious ways”…again and again… But I have to say this and I have to say this…God is a poor warehouse man. First in First out. It is not fair. It’s not fair. First in First out. That should be the rule of God…”

Jane was at the funeral and has a first hand account with photos and a video. Jess cried as the funeral car passed by.  What can you say to parents who have lost a child? Noemi continues with some practical advice:

“…Avoid using “It was God’s will” and other clichés that attempt to minimize or explain the death. Don’t try to find something positive in the child’s death, such as, “At least you have other children.” There are no words that make it all right that their child has died…”

And what of Ma. Theresa Torres the single mother who was at the wheel of the van that hit Amiel? She has 4 children and a son studying at Ateneo. Wawam has a lively comment thread discussing if this was Ateneo’s fault or Mrs Torres fault. Eyewitnesses allegedly saw her using a mobile phone while behind the wheel. However, Mourningtojoy empathizes with her:

That mother could have been me. That boy, God forbid, could have been my son. I pick up my children everyday from school. I know what the traffic is like. I’ve heard of children who have been sideswiped in the parking lots of elementary schools all over the country. I’ve had a cousin who got backed up by a jeepney in the parking lot of Don Bosco Makati in the 1970s, died for a minute but came back. Amiel did not make it. And now there is a pall of gloom all over the Ateneo campus and in every parents heart.

Doy Cinco alludes to how parents have lost a child, but depending on how it goes for Mrs Torres, four children could lose their mother, too:

Isang single mother,  may apat na maliliit na pinapaaral sa nasabing unibersidad, walang masamang record at isang middle class na interior designer lamang si Gng Torres. Ayon sa ilang inpormasyon, kayod kalabaw sa pag-aaruga’t pagpapa-aral, bahay-opisina at paaralan ang rutina at simpleng buhay lamang ang inang si Mrs Torres. Sa ganyang konteksto, maaaring ikunsidera, kaawaan at  magmalasakit  ang mga Femenista o mga grupong Kababaihan. Sapagkat, sintido kumon lamang, bukud samagiging kahabag-habag na kalagayan sa piitan,  “hindi na nating makakayanan pang dagdagan ng apat pang bata, maliban kay Miel Alcantara ang pagdurusa at ang maging biktima ng mabangis na lipunan.” (photo by foblow)