A 76-year-old grandfather from Cebu City was left distraught and forced into a dramatic confrontation after his 15-year-old granddaughter disappeared for four days to be with her 20-year-old boyfriend, a gravedigger.
A Grandfather's Desperate Search
The incident unfolded on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, in Barangay Pardo, Cebu City. The elderly man, a former security guard originally from Daanbantayan who now resides in Pardo, is the sole guardian of the minor, identified only by the alias "Juliet." He raised her himself as she has no parents.
After Juliet failed to return home for four days, the worried grandfather launched a search. A tip eventually led him to the Pardo Cemetery, where he found his granddaughter with her boyfriend.
Cemetery Confrontation and Police Response
The scene quickly turned chaotic as the grandfather tried to force his granddaughter to come home. The Inayawan Police Station responded to a commotion alarm raised from within the cemetery grounds.
Despite the grandfather's pleas and reprimands, the strong-willed teenager refused to listen and continued to insist on seeing her older partner. The grandfather's primary concern is his granddaughter's future. He wants the couple to separate so that Juliet, due to her young age, can continue her education and build a better life, especially given their difficult financial situation.
His sole wish is for Juliet to survive and secure a bright future.
The Boyfriend's Side of the Story
The 20-year-old boyfriend, given the alias "Romeo," who works as a sepulturero (gravedigger) at the Pardo cemetery, presented a different narrative. He claimed that he and Juliet had already agreed to break up last month following a barangay settlement.
However, he admitted they still secretly meet at the cemetery. Romeo stated he would not defy the grandfather's wish for them to part ways, even though it pains him because he loves the girl. He acknowledged the legal peril of continuing the relationship.
Because of the ongoing tension, the parties returned to the barangay for another agreement. They were urged to stay away from each other, as persisting with the "forbidden love" could lead to Romeo facing imprisonment due to the minor's age.
