Jesus’ can’t save boy from snake bites

[NicoleRussell]

Jesus’ can’t save boy from snake bites
By Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews / 11 April 2006 GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- It was too late when a Christian family from nearby Tupi town in South Cotabato finally realized late Sunday that their B'laan neighbor was not "Jesus Christ" as the latter supposedly claimed he was.

The Pandong family of barangay Lunen in Tupi lost one of their members, 15-year-old Christopher, early Monday after taking their chances on the village's medicine man for the treatment of the boy's snake bite through the latter's "divine powers."

Erlinda Pandong, the boy's grandmother, said they brought the victim to the neighboring house of Joe Bangon alias Dabu, a known medicine man in their area, at around 3 p.m. last Sunday after he was bitten by an undetermined poisonous snake on his leg.

She said they sought Bangon's help to provide first aid treatment to the boy before they would bring him to the hospital.

"He gave first aid treatment to my grandson's wound using some herbal plants but when we were about to move him out of the house, (Bangon) angrily told us not to touch him," she said.

Erlina said they insisted to move the boy so they could bring him to the hospital but the medicine man, who is reportedly a B'laan native, told them not to worry since he could easily heal the boy.

She said Bangon told them to trust him because he was gifted with godly powers.

"We tried to argue with him but he shouted to us saying he is Jesus the healer. We hesitated for a moment but we grudgingly agreed later on to allow him to treat our boy," Erlina said.

Several hours later, she said they noticed that the boy's condition worsened and this prompted them to forcibly take the latter out of the medicine man's house and rushed him to a hospital in Koronadal City.

But on their way to the hospital, she said the boy could no longer speak nor recognize any of them and started to hallucinate.

"His face already turned black and his mouth was already stiff by the time we reached the hospital," she narrated in between sobs.

The young Christopher succumbed to snake venom poisoning at around 4 a.m. last Monday at a hospital in Koronadal City.

"We could have saved him if we immediately brought him to the hospital," Erlinda said with a tinge of regret.

She said her family would "definitely do something about that man" as soon as they fix the final funeral arrangements for the boy.

"He will pay for this. Our boy is dead because of him," added Erlinda, who spoke to reporters on behalf of the Pandong family.

So far, the Tupi police have taken its hands off the incident pending the filing of a formal compliant.

"There's no complaint yet so we cannot say anything about it. But if a complaint is filed, we will take the necessary actions," a desk officer, who asked not to be named, said in a phone interview.

He said it would be up to the prosecutors or any legal forum to decide whether the medicine man could be held directly liable for the boy's death.

[VoodooChile]

Ignorance...
The MAN didnt kill the kid, the stupid PARENTS did by not taking him to Medical Facility and having "Jesus" meet them there..

[VoodooChile]

Heck, next thing you know, they will sue the SNAKES for biting them..

[toker]

I think the parents are at fault here as much as the other guy. Afterall they could have left at any time and ended up doing so. That in my mind makes them liable not the "medicine man"

[RevMojo]

Maybe I'm not understanding. From what I know, Jesus saves from eternal damnation...earthly problems are your own.

[VoodooChile]

amen!