Mars G. Alison
“I want justice for my son. I want that boy who hit him to be taught a lesson.”
This is the sentiment of Nena Miyagi, the mother of Kintaro Miyagi of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) who got mauled during the free-for-all that happened last Sunday in the Aboitiz Football Cup Under-18 division elimination match between the Magis Eagles and Alcoy FC at the Aboitiz Sports Field in Subangdaku, Mandaue City.
The Magis Eagles were already leading 5-1 when the commotion erupted. Miyagi could have been targeted because he scored the two goals—the first and third.
While all focus was on a parent, who opened a gash on the head of the Alcoy FC goalkeeper who in turn had an SHS-AdC player in a headlock, Miyagi was trying to run back to his team’s tent to avoid the fighting that erupted while the match was nearing halftime.
However, the next thing he knew, he was hit with a punch to his right eye that knocked him to the ground where he got stepped on by other people.
According to Miyagi, while he was intent on the game, he turned his head and saw the brawl happening between his teammate and the Alcoy FC goalie.
Seeing that people were starting to enter the pitch, he said he headed for his team’s tent and that’s when he got knocked down. Now, his eye is swollen shut and he has bruises in some areas of his body.
Miyagi is a member of the Philippine Under 16. Before that, he was a member of the highly successful Little Azkals who have played in a lot of international tournaments but this is the first time that he had the lights knocked out of him while in a game.
His mother, Nena, said she felt worse when she found out that the culprit was a 14-year-old spectator who came with the Alcoy FC.
“I asked him why he hit my son, why he entered the pitch when he wasn’t even a player, he was just a spectator. He told me because everyone was already entering the pitch. My son was not fighting and he hit him,” Nena said.
Nena was not there during the incident but her daughter, Sandy Miyagi, also a football player of the University of San Carlos women’s team witnessed the whole thing.
When she got the call from Sandy telling her what happened, she immediately proceeded to the Aboitiz Sports Field.
“I approached the Alcoy FC team to ask for the name of the boy who hit my son. At first he denied hitting him but my daughter called him out so he admitted. I asked for his name and address but he refused to give it. The coach of the Alcoy FC team also tried to protect him,” Nena said.
Nena had to call a police to go to the Aboitiz Sports Field and get the name of the boy so she can file a complaint.
The boy cannot be named as he is a minor but Nena said she wants to see his NSO because he looks older than 14.
Nena has already filed a complaint at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 7 and the department in turn has sent a letter to its Alcoy counterpart inviting the boy and his family for an interview.
“I will not let this die down. I want justice for my son. My son has been a national team member several times, he has played in several other countries already and he knows how to act with the proper decorum on the field,” Nena said.
