AFTER her parents died in a bloodbath in May 2006, Ezzeah, then a one-month old baby, would have been orphaned and grow up like those children who wander off in the streets everyday without direction.
She was too young to understand what happened during that fateful night when intruders burgled their home in Mahayag, destroyed their house’s bamboo partition and hacked her parent’s frail bodies while in their sleep.
Ezzeah was saved when her mother, who was then breastfeeding at the moment, embraced her tightly and covered the infant with her body, protecting her from death.
Her father was brought to the hospital and lived to tell the tale despite the sore knife wounds. Nothing was heard from him ever since.
What happened that night was a massacre, a plan to annihilate all members of the family. Nobody knows the motive for the killing. But do the killers have to include the innocent Ezzeah?
While hidden in her mother’s bosom, an intruder’s hack slid off into her right wrist. The wound almost severed her wrist that attending doctors at the hospital said she has a 50-50 chance of surviving.
But Providence looked down upon Ezzeah and gradually restored her wound. And the rest of her healing process will be dealt with by a familiar angel, in the person of PO3 Edgardo Figuracion II.
Unknown to many, Figuracion, who was then assigned as a nurse at the Provincial Hospital, has a passion for children. When he saw Ezzeah for the first time at the hospital, he right away felt fondness for her.
As days went by, Figuracion was more determined to take Ezzeah home and take charge of her. He soon decided to assume parental obligation and promised to give the child a bright future to look forward to in his own home. So Figuracion adopted Ezzeah.
Upon the endorsements of PNP Reg. Dir. Angelo Sunglao and Prov. Dir. Ramon Ochotorena, Ezzeah’s medical case was taken cared of by PNP Chief Jesus Versoza who personally helped and had Ezzeah underwent two major operations for her right wrist, including the needed tendon therapy, Figuracion recalls.
“Here is a very extraordinary policeman who made his way in taking up shelter for a massacre victim. It is our obligation and responsibility to look and commend him as a hero in his own way,” Sunglao then expressed his praises for Figuracion.
Today, Ezzeah could hardly draw a pensive memory of that night with her parents even by looking at the scar in her right hand—the only recollection she could have evoke from her past.
However, she needs to forget what happened. The hale and hearty Ezzeah, now three years old, is presently a doting daughter to his newfound daddy, and an adoring sister to the other siblings of her new family.
Ezzeah will soon submit herself for the third operation on her wrist.
As for Figuracion, he received accolades from the PNP leadership as symbol of Best Police Practices– Police Community Relations (PCR) Man last July 16, 2009.
His wife, Lowela, is following Ed’s footsteps and is presently taking her instructions at the PNP Regional Training School in Zamboanga City to be a police officer.
January 30, this year, during the 18th PNP anniversary fete, C/Supt. Felizardo Serapio, director of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operation (DIPO) gave a special award to Figuracion in Zamboanga City.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & REMAI ALEJADO