Football player Kieth Absalon and his uncle Nolven were laid to rest in Masbate City on Sunday, a week after a blast from a land mine planted by communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels killed them.
The two were buried at the Nursery Cemetery in Masbate City past 3 p.m.
The Absalons, along with Nolven's 16-year-old son, were riding their bikes along Barangay Anas on the morning of June 6 when an improvised explosive went off and hit them.
The minor survived the incident, which the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said was a result of "errors in the military action mounted by an NPA unit."
The Absalon family, who said the victims were also shot, cried for justice.
Kieth, 21, played for the Malaya Football Club and the Far Eastern University football team.
He was a standout for FEU's boys' football team, having been named Most Valuable Player of the juniors’ division in Season 78 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. He was also a part of the national team that competed in the 2018 AFF Under-19 Championship in Indonesia.
Absalon was a starter for the FEU men's football team in UAAP Season 82 before their campaign was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials and rights groups condemned the CPP-NPA's use of landmines, which they said violates the International Humanitarian Law. They also demanded those responsible for the blast should be turned over to the government.
The CPP-NPA had asked "the public to give the concerned NPA commandsand Party committees time and space to conduct" their investigation.
The two were buried at the Nursery Cemetery in Masbate City past 3 p.m.
