THE seven-year-old Filipino boy earlier reported missing in Barcelona turned out to be among the 14 fatalities in Thursday’s terrorist attack that seriously injured his mother and more than 100 others, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.
While expressing his condolence, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said he directed his former aide and newly appointed Foreign Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola to make sure that all possible assistance was extended to the family of the deceased and other Filipino victims of the incident.”©”©
“It pains us to break the sad news to our kababayans that we lost one of our own in the recent violence unleashed by extremists against the innocent in Barcelona,” Cayetano said.
“©”©“We join the loved ones of our little brother in mourning his passing and in praying for the eternal repose of his soul,” Cayetano said.”©
“©According to Chargé d’Affaires Emmanuel Fernandez, the Philippine Embassy in Madrid was informed of the boy’s demise by his family after his father identified his remains.
“©In his report to Manila, Fernandez said the victim’s 43-year-old mother remained in the intensive care unit of a local hospital after undergoing surgery for fractures in both legs and one arm that she sustained in the incident. “©”©
In addition to the boy’s mother, two other Filipinos based in Italy were among those injured when a van plowed through crowds gathered at the Las Ramblas tourist district.
“©”©The injured Filipinos, one male and one female, will be assisted by the Philippine Consulate General in Milan in getting medical attention, according to Consul General Marichu Mauro.”©
“©Also injured in the attack were four Irish citizens of Filipino descent who were also attended to by the Embassy and the Honorary Consulate in Barcelona.
“©”©The four were identified as Norman Potot, 45, his wife Pederlita, 39, daughter Nailah Pearl, 9, and son Nathaniel Paul, 5, and are residents of Dublin. “©”©Norman and Nathaniel remain confined at the Hospital Del Mar in Barcelona.
The father suffered a minor head injury but remains under observation for hematoma of the kidney.
His son is recovering from surgery for the fractured leg he sustained in the incident. “©”©Norman’s wife sustained minor bruises while his daughter fractured her arm.