Please Help the families of Rape and Murder

Hi, my name is Dan, and I came to you today with a sad story. My wife Teresa is from the Philippines. For the last ten years, we have been going there to visit family and have made many friends. We built a house and are very much a part of the community. My wife has many relations there. So many I can't keep track. We help by providing jobs and feeding the poor.

We always go in April, and we continue building and improving our house. This year we hired several men to do concrete work. We also hire women to cook, clean, and do laundry. We can do these things ourselves, but the Philippine people are proud and will not take charity. So, we give them jobs, so they have a sense of self-worth. They are extremely hard-working people. They work in extremely hot and humid temperatures. They use primitive tools and methods. It’s amazing to watch. While they are working, we have their children at the house. we give them little jobs and pay them with coins and treats.

We returned to the states April 30th very broke but satisfied and looking ahead to next year to do it all again. Now the sad part and the reason for my plea for help.

On May 2nd at approximately 2pm the daughter of one of the concrete crew Jhasmin 12 and the son of the lady who dose our laundry Junel 13 and another girl Tusana 9 who sells cooked vegetables door to door, were sent to the farm in the mountain to get casava. As they walked up the trail a man perused them. He attacked Jhasmin and began to rape her. Junel her cousin and Tusana attempted to help her. Junel received to blows from the man’s machete. It is believed he died quickly. Tusana also received a blow to the head and shoulder but was able to run away. She made it back to Barangay Pinimatinan and alerted adults and authorities about the attack and gave them a positive ID of the man who also lives in the village.

The authorities immediately went to the place they were told the attack happened and found Jhasmin and Junel deceased. Jhasmin had no clothing from the waist down. The authorities immediately began a man hunt for the suspect. The identification of the man by the surviving victim and the fact that he has not returned home has most concerned for their safety. As of this writing he has not been found. The army has been called in to assist and I am told they have orders to shoot on sight if he resists arrest.

These people are extremely poor. They live hand to mouth. They barter trade and do whatever they can to feed their families a next meal. Many go hungry. Often adults give the children and go without. So now 2 families must pay for a funeral and a 3rd family has medical bills they can’t possibly pay. Poor people get the very minimum care through the socialized medical program there. Surgery X-ray and medicine are not covered. Tusana was struck in the head and back. Her injuries are disfiguring without proper attention. The two children who are deceased still lay in the morgue. The fees must be paid before the embalming can be completed. A casket must be purchased. The children must lay in repose at their respective homes for 7 days before they are laid to rest.

Please find it in your heart to help these 3 families who have suffered this heinous crime. Please help bring relief to Tusana of her pain and suffering. Please help Jhasmin and Junel to be laid to rest with a proper funeral. Please help these parents get a little relief from the financial burden placed on them by this horrible animal! Please help these rape and murder victims.