A palm tree pinned to death a six-year-old boy in Mandaue City.

The boy’s family has cried for justice as there was already an earlier request to have the tree chopped down but was ignored allegedly.

The incident took place morning on April 1, 2025.

A request letter to have the tree cut down was submitted in 2024 at the City Hall of Mandaue due to the tree’s rotten trunk that posed apparent risk.

It was learned that the huge palm tree referred to locally as “buli” fell and hit hard the boy’s head, and pinned him to death by the roadside along AC Cortes Avenue, Barangay Ibabao Estancia.

His grandfather, Jebiltar Quilaton, said they were shaken by the incident and on how quick it had happened.

“Didto mi maglingkod-lingkod, magduwa na siya diha, nilabay ra ko kadyot, paglingi nako naay nihagtik, tan-aw kos akong apo wala na, wala na gyud. Gialsa nako, di nako mada, nanawag ko’g mga gwardya, patabang ko,” Jebiltar said.

The remains of the boy identified as Christian Quilaton, Jr., fondly called “Yantoy,” were taken to his grandparents’ house in Zone Ahos, Barangay Paknaan for his wake.

The child would have graduated from Kindergarten this month, April 2025.

“Among i-ask ang maestra nga iyang papa ra mopaso magda [magdala] sa picture. Mo-Grade 1 na [unta] siya, ganahan baya na siya mograduate, excited gyud siya nig paso gyud, sugod-sugod naman sila practice [og] paso,” said Angelica Quilaton, the mother.

Angelica said they demand justice for “Yantoy,” as there was already a request for the decaying tree to be cut down, but before it fell to the ground it has fallen seemingly to deaf ears, she implied.

“Di kalikayan bisan unsa pa nga tabang pero wala na imong anak, lisod kaayo pagpadako lang daan, manghinaot unta ko matagaan siyag hustisya,” Angelica added.

A copy of the letter sent to the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office was shown to GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak.

The letter was dated November 2024 requesting that the decaying tree, that started to lean at that time, be cut down immediately because of the high risk it poses.

“Sa barangay to, dayon ila gi-endorse sa City Hall last year to, dugay na basta dugay na, wa diay naaksyoni, wala aksyoni hangtod nga niana siya nibahirig na siya maong nanguan kos ako anak, adto na sige og follow-up,” according to Malalos Zapanta, a sibling of the boy's grandfather. 

A wooden cross, flowers, including sawed parts of the "buli," tagged by residents as a “century tree," marked the specific site.

Following the incident,  residents called on immediate action from the City Government  to have another palm tree located a few meters from the site be cut down as well to avert a similar incident.

The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Mandaue City disclosed of an investigation launched on the circumstances leading to the incident, including the letter-request and endorsement in 2024.

“Unsay aksyon gipangbuhat og unsay rason nganong it took them so long to look at this, we will be investigating this incident and this process seriously…heads will roll,” Atty. Jamaal Calipayan, Mandaue City administrator, said.

Further, the LGU has vowed to provide financial assistance to the grieving family.