Man, who lost wife, son to shooting by cop in Tarlac, seeks protection

MANILA, Philippines—Florentino Gregorio, whose wife and son were murdered by a policeman in a brazen attack in Tarlac, is now worried about his family’s safety and is appealing for protection.

The killings, which was caught on video and went viral on social media, sparked outrage in a nation that has grown numb on a culture of violence that left Florentino’s other children hammered by trauma.

“Early on I already said my family has to be protected,” Florentino told Radyo Inquirer. “We don’t know if there are people..just to exact vengeance for relatives of that policeman,” he said.

“We are not certain about the fate of our children if I’m not around,” he said. “Especially now, one of my children doesn’t want to be separated, got trauma. The child saw what was done to the mother and brother,” said Florentino.

MSgt. Jonel Nuezca shot at close range Sonya Gregorio, 52, and her son, Frank Anthony, 25, after a heated confrontation over the alleged use of a banned firecracker, called boga, by the murder victims last Sunday (Dec. 20).

Frank Anthony is the fourth of seven children of Florentino and Sonya.

The grieving Florentino said he wanted Nuezca to regret what he had done, but he did not wish him to suffer the same fate. In an earlier report, Nuezca was quoted as saying he regretted pulling the trigger and shooting Sonya and Frank Anthony.

“He shouldn’t say sorry if he’s really not sorry. He should take responsibility for what he did, repent and accept the punishment,” said Florentino.

“I am not one to judge a man’s life. Man has only one life. If he had only thought that what he did was wrong,” he said.

“It’s better that he suffer knowing what he did, he would be bothered by it, it’s worse than dying, he’s being tortured just thinking of it and because he’s far from his family,” Florentino said.