One of slain Marines was set to be wed in July

COMMANDER IN CHIEF’S RESPECTS President Aquino pays his last respects to the seven Marine soldiers killed in the May 25 ambush by Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu as relatives of a slain soldier comfort each other during the wake at the Marines’ barracks in Fort Bonifacio. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines-Jessa Abueva was looking forward to the return of Dominador Sabejon Jr., her common-law husband, for their scheduled church wedding in July this year.

The date of their wedding would also fall on the third birthday of their son.

But their red letter day would no longer push through since Sabejon, a private first class soldier, was among the seven Marines who were allegedly killed by the members of the Abu Sayyaf group on May 27.

“I still could not accept that he (Sabejon) is gone. He promised to return home for our church wedding and for the birthday of our son,” said the 24-year-old Abueva in a phone interview.

The remains of Sabejon, 23, were to return to his native town of MacArthur in Eastern Samar on Wednesday afternoon. The burial has yet to be scheduled.

The couple has been living together for the past five years now and has a son, Julius.

“I told my son that his papa is no longer with us but he just brushed me off, saying that he is just at Gaisano (shopping mall) buying his bike,” said Abueva in between sobs.

She said that the last time she talked to her partner was on the evening of May 25.

According to Abueva, Sabejon told her that he and his group were on a test mission in Sulu. “He told me to take good care of our son and then bid me good luck,” she said.

On the night of May 27, she received a phone call from a batch mate of her husband, whom she only identified as “Arroyo,” informing her that Sabejon was among those killed in fierce gun battle with the extremist group.

“I was hysterical and could not accept what happened to him,” Abueva said.

She said she was thankful for the assistance that she would receive from the government, but “in my heart, his death pains me so much.”

“No amount will compensate his loss to us,” she said.

Abueva recalled that Sabejon had long wanted to become a soldier although he studied Bachelor of Science major in Industrial Engineering at the Eastern Samar State University in Borongan City.

However, he only reached second year college and on May 2010, he took an entrance exam to become a Marine.

“His ambition to become a soldier was a constant cause of our fights then.

I really don’t want him to become a soldier. His mother was also opposed to it. But it was his boyhood ambition and he really pursued it,” Abueva said.

The last time she saw her Sabejon was last Dec. 29 when he was on Christmas vacation. He then left for Ternate, Cavite, where their school is located, last Jan. 1.

It turned out to be their last meeting.

Sabejon was the youngest of 13 siblings of a farming family.