JASTINE’S BODY WILL BE TAKEN TO HER HOMELAND
THE body of Jastine Valdez will be brought back to the Philippines, her cousin said yesterday, as her Filipino family and friends struggled to take in the enormity of the loss.
News of her murder spread across Jastine’s home town of Aritao in the north of the Philippines, about 300km north of the capital, Manila.
Jocelynne Nisperos said that Jastine was the only child of her own cousin, and was always remembered as ‘very kind and helpful’ – and will be brought home to the Philippines.
Earlier Ms Nisperos had written an emotional tribute while Jastine was still alive, saying that she was praying she would come home safely.
Jastine grew up in Banganan, a semi-rural district to the northeast of Aritao, the only daughter of her father, Danillo and mother Teresita.
Like many migrant Filipino families, they moved abroad to work and left their child with relatives until they had enough money saved to bring her over and give her a good l i fe in Ireland.
Yesterday, one of her closest childhood friends, Johan Yunah Panelo, said that they grew up together and attended Banganan Elementary School, class of 2004-2005.
‘I last saw her in 2014 just before she went to Ireland, it is so sad,’ she wrote in one of several posts about Jastine’s death. She also posted an Irish newspaper article about Mark Hennessy, Jastine’s killer, which described him as a quiet, family man.
Mr Panelo described him bitterly as a ‘quiet killer’. She also wrote that Hennessy had been shot dead by the Irish police and added: ‘May justice prevail.’
She also included several tributes to her lost friend.
‘Can’t stop thinking of you and the memories we had, dear friend/classmate,’ she wrote. ‘We are now missing you so much Jaz. Wishing it was just all a dream.
‘We are now in pain due to your sudden tragic loss. You are now in God’s hands our dear friend.
‘I just can’t still believe it, one of our precious friends has gone away. We will miss you.’
Her death has also made national news headlines in her home country.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs Secretary in the Philippines Alan Peter Cayetano extended his sympathy to the Valdez family.
‘We grieve with the loved ones of Jastine Valdez, someone so young and so full of promise, who was suddenly taken away from them,’ Mr Cayetano said.
‘We join the rest of the Filipino Community in Ireland in offering our prayers for Jastine and her family,’ he added.
Meanwhile, the Filipino community in Ireland are continuing to offer support, comfort and prayers to the Valdez family.
Mark Congdon, Honorary Consul of the Philippines in Ireland, said the community are still upset and in shock following the tragic death, and that a number of prayer services were held on Monday night following the news that her body had been discovered.
‘We are now missing you so much Jaz’