By MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
“Ang dami niyang pangarap. Paglaki niya gusto niya maging manager, kahit anong klase basta manager daw. ‘Di na mangyayari ‘yun kasi wala na. Nawala na lang bigla.
Grace Tupas, 30, still couldn’t believe that her child, 12-year-old Daisery, is already gone.
Daisery Castillo was one of the five victims of the stabbing spree inside the Central Park 2 Condominium on D. Jorge Street in Barangay 132 Tuesday night.
The jealous suspect, Alberto Garan, 39, a native of Cagayan, killed his girlfriend Emeryn Sagun, 30, after a heated argument on the 16th floor. He then went on a rampage, stabbing everyone he met. He was neutralized by responding police on the 23rd floor of the 25-storey condominium building.
Garan’s wife, Thelma, and Sagun’s husband, Joel Talosig, are siblings.
In an interview with select reporters during the wake of Daisery at Rizal Funeral Homes Wednesday night, Grace said her daughter was a “sweet, charming and very studious kid.”
Days before the incident, Grace said she had a pep talk with her eldest child about her studies. Grace, a solo parent, has two more kids, Dave, 9; and Melody 8.
“Bago mangyari’ yun, ang sabi pa niya kailangan daw mag-aral siya ng mabuti para mataas ang pag-aaral niya dahil K-to-12. Masipag po ‘yan mag-aral kasi honor student siya at badminton player. Active po siya sa school,” Grace said of Daisery, a Grade 6 pupil at Juan Sumulong Elementary School in Barangay 132, Pasay.
Grace recalled that after suspect Garan killed Sagun and threw her body into the ground floor, it was Daisery whom he first met. Daisery was with her two younger siblings inside the elevator when they encountered the raging Garan.
“Galing siyang praktis ng sayaw sa school dahil may presentation sila at may laban sila sa badminton. Pagbukas ng elevator, nakita daw nila ‘yung suspek. Tinatakot sila at nakikipagpatintero habang iwinawasiwas ‘yung kutsilyo,” Grace recalled.
That was when Joel Palacios, 70, a veteran journalist and former spokesperson for the Social Security System (SSS), came in. Palacios was about to go for a night jog. Garan vent his ire on Palacios, grabbed him and stabbed him several times.
Daisery and her younger siblings took the chance to escape. The two younger kids were fortunate but Garan grabbed Daisery by hair on the 17th floor and stabbed her.
Grace said her child sustained eight stab wounds.
“Kung dalawang saksak, ano pa eh… pero ‘yung walo? Parang hindi na tao ang gumawa noon,” Grace said.
Grace said she will file a case against the management of Central Park Condominium, Emilio Ching, including the Corregidor Veteranos security agency.
Asked what will she miss the most from Daisery, Grace said it was the sweetness of the kid.
The family of Daisery is appealing for help from the city government of Pasay for the burial of the child.
Mayor Antonino Calixto, in a phone interview, said they will be offering help to the victims but did not give further information.
