Teen ‘electrocuted’ while painting cop’s house Meeting with Veco, retired cop Sosmeña set to discuss accident

A TEENAGER was reportedly electrocuted while working as a carpenter-painter in a retired police officer’s house in Barangay Lorega, Cebu City.

The fall of Kent “Kentoy” Alburo, 19, from a railing on the house’s third floor was witnessed by his 14-year-old co-worker Miles Loquez and a certain “Tambok” at 4 p.m. last Saturday.

Upon seeing his coworker shiver and fall from the railing, Tambok immediately squatted to catch Alburo, according to SPO2 Wertzel Berry of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

“Kon wa pa to masawo dayun, posibleng matagak to’s ground floor lahos (If it weren’t for his fellow workers, he would have fallen to the ground floor),” Berry, who led the investigation, told Sun. Star Cebu.

Berry’s initial investigation revealed that the three teenagers were “child laborers” who are depending on an agent for them to be given work opportunities.

They hailed from the town of San Fernando, Cebu, and only resided in Cebu City for random jobs like carpentry and painting houses.

“Naa ra kunoy mosugo nila nga anhi na sad mo, dugay-dugay na sad kuno ni sila ani (They are only being told if a work has to be done. They’ve been working like this for quite a long time already),” he said.

Berry said that Alburo’s co-workers were tasked to go to San Fernando town to inform the victim’s parents.

The Homicide Section, however, still has to determine on who will shoulder the burial expenses of Alburo.

The house on New Imus Road is owned by retired policeman Felipe Garciano Sosmeña, 50.

Sosmeña, however, reportedly told Berry that the victim’s hospitalization and burial expenses should be shouldered by an electric company.

“Namatay ‘tong bata kay basin daw naay sayop sa pagkataud sa wiring (The boy may have died reportedly because of defective wiring),” he said.

It was the teenagers’ first day to work in the house.

Alburo was reportedly painting the ceiling when he was believed to have accidentally hit the galvanized pipe attached to the wall. The pipe, which had bundles of wires inside, is reportedly owned by the Visayan Electric Company Inc. (Veco), Berry said.

To settle the matter so that the boy will be buried as soon as possible, Berry said that the Homicide Section will meet with Sosmeña and a Veco representative this week.