Gregorio family incomplete on first Christmas in new home

The Gregorios of Paniqui, Tarlac were looking forward to celebrating their first Christmas and New Year in a new home built through the hard work of their patriarch, Mang Florentino.

In a grim turn of events, however, the family will instead be marking their first holiday season without mother and son Sonya and Frank Anthony, who were shot dead by their neighbor, Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca.

According to Emil Sumangil’s “24 Oras” report on Thursday, Mang Florentino was able to build a new home for his family through his earnings from tricycle driving.

He recalled his wife Sonya asking to move in early even though construction has yet to be completed.

“Kinausap ko sila nang palihim, lumapit ako sa kabaong. Sinabi ko sa kanila, ‘Ang pangako niyo, hindi ba, dito tayo magpapasko, unang taon natin dito sa bahay natin?’ Kahit hindi pa tapos noon, lipatan natin kako,” Mang Florentino said.

“Kahit nagkaganyan kayo, hindi ako magiging malungkot ngayon dahil ayaw niyo maging malungkot kami, Pasko ngayon. Gusto niyo masaya.”

Aling Sonya’s daughter and sister, likewise, had nothing but fond memories of her.

“Kahit naghihirap siya, hindi siya ‘yung nanghihingi. Basta kung ano lang ‘yung meron siya, ‘yun lang ang pinagtitiyagaan niya,” her sister Jovita Rufino Natividad said.

“Maagang naglalaba mother ko kasi eh, 2 or 3 ng madaling araw, gising na ‘yun. Maririnig mo nang umiikot ‘yung washing machine namin. ‘Yun ang hahanapin namin,” her daughter Tasha Delos Santos added.

Aling Sonya’s 94-year-old mother, Carmen Rufino, meanwhile, was once again emotional at the sight of her daughter lying in a casket.

“Gumising ka na ‘nak at kakain na tayo, gusto mo?” she was heard saying.

Mang Florentino and Jovita said they have no other choice but to live with the pain of losing their loved ones.

“Sa amin, masakit din. Siyempre mas maganda kung nabubuhay pa sila. E wala na tayong magagawa, talagang gano’n ang nangyari. Medyo onti-onti nating tatanggapin,” the Gregorio patriarch said.

“Sa una, malungkot. Pero ngayon, nararamdaman namin na maraming nagmamahal sa mga naaapi,” Jovita added.

Nuezca was caught on video fatally shooting Sonya and Frank during a heated confrontation over the weekend.

He was indicted for two counts of murder on Monday.

The cop earlier expressed deep regret for the crime as he sat behind bars. -Julia Mari Ornedo/MDM, GMA News