Kenije J was a 13-year-old boy living in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, with his mother. He was an only child.
Although enrolled in school, Kenije had apparently stopped attending classes and was involved in selling street drugs. He first became involved in the drug trade at the age of nine, alongside many of his friends. His mother had tried to get him to stop but, working long hours to support them both, she was unable to spend time supervising her son.
At around 10.30pm on 28 October Kenije was shot dead by two masked gunmen near his home. He attempted to run from the two men after being shot, but died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police suspect that Kenije was ordered to be killed when he failed to hand over money from drug sales to his handler. Investigators found three empty bullet shells and 13 packets of suspected shabu (crystal methamphetamine) at the scene. Mabolo Police Station Chief Romeo Caacoy Jr. said that he was ‘not surprised’ by the killing, stating that drug syndicates used children like Kenije since they could not be charged in court.
Kenije died two days before his 14th birthday. He had saved up some money for the occasion so his mother could make him his favourite food. In their last conversation before he died, he asked her to make him spaghetti and a mango float.
The DAHAS project at the Third World Studies Centre recorded 364 drug-related killings in 2024.
Trese anyos si Kenjie J at kasamang naninirahan ng kanyang ina sa Barangay Mabolo, Lungsod ng Cebu. Mag-isa siyang anak.
Kahit pinag-aral, tumigil si Kenjie at nasangkot sa pagbebenta ng ilegal na droga. Siyam na taong gulang pa lamang siya nang pumasok sa ilegal na gawaing ito kasama ang kanyang mga kaibigan. Sinubukan ng nanay niyang patigilin siya, pero dahil kailangan nitong magtrabaho ng mahabang oras para maitaguyod silang dalawa, bigo itong masubaybayan ang anak.
Mag-aalas-diyes y medya ng gabi noong Oktubre 28 nang pagbabarilin si Kenjie ng dalawang nakamaskarang salarin malapit sa bahay nila. Tinangka niyang tumakbo matapos mabaril pero dahil sa maraming tama, agad ring namatay.
Naghinala ang mga pulis na ipinatumba si Kenjie ng may hawak sa kanya nang hindi nito naibigay ang napagbentahan sa droga. Sa pinagbarilan, nakakita ang mga imbestigador ng tatlong basyo ng bala at labintatlong sachets ng hinihinalang shabu. Ayon kay Romeo Caacoy Jr., hepe ng Mabolo Police Station, hindi na siya nagtaka sa nangyaring pagpatay. Sinabi niyang ginagamit ng mga sindikato ang mga bata, gaya ni Kenjie, dahil sa hindi pa sila p’wedeng makasuhan.
Namatay si Kenjie dalawang araw bago ang kanyang ikalabing-apat na kaarawan. Nag-ipon sana siya para dito, para maihanda ng nanay niya ang paborito niyang pagkain. Sa huling pag-uusap nila, sinabi ni Kenjie na gusto niya ng ispageti at mango float para sa kanyang kaarawan.