The Aquino family from Tarlac was celebrating what they thought was a sweet homecoming for their long-lost kin. However, there was one bitter pill that they had to swallow: the man they met turns out to be just a lookalike of their missing relative.
Mother Arceli Aquino has been longing to see his eldest son, 32-year-old Ferdinand, since he disappeared seven years ago and was last spotted at Minalabac, Camarines Sur where he worked as a municipal engineer.
When she heard of a man who supposedly resembles Ferdinand roaming around the town, she was immediately convinced that it could be him.
“Nang makita namin yung post sa Facebook, naawa ako, nasabik kaya tinanggap ko na. Tapos kapag nagi-Ilokano kami, alam niya kaya sabi ko ‘Ay anak ko na ito,” Aquino said in an interview with The Cavite Rising.
From Camarines Sur, the Aquino family brought the man to their hometown in Tarlac. The man seemingly shares the same face with Ferdinand so much that he was even positively identified by the latter’s wife and children.
But Arceli’s mother’s instinct suddenly told her that something was amiss after she noticed that the man has no mole in his face unlike her son Ferdinand.
The family then decided to conduct a DNA test with the man to clear up their suspicion.
“Negative ang resulta ng DNA test! Akala namin siya na nga ang anak ko. Pero kahit ganon, hindi namin siya pinabayaan. Tuloy-tuloy lang kami sa pag-alaga sa kanya,” she added.
Despite finding out that they are not biologically related, the Aquino family still decided to admit the man to a rehabilitation center because he is apparently mentally challenged.
“Pagkatapos ng isang buwan, inilabas na namin siya. Naisulat niya na kung sino siya, saan siya nakatira, saan siya nag-aral ng high school,” Arceli furthered.
The man later recognized himself as “Nelson Corpuz” who is originally living at Brgy. Tramo – Bantayan, Kawit, Cavite where his real family was contacted by the Aquinos.
Accompanied by the Aquino family, Corpuz and his sister Raquel finally reunited on September 21.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa kanila kasi inalagaan nila yung kapatid ko. Binilhan pa nga nila ng bago, magandang sapatos…Kung di dahil sa kanila, hindi namin siya makikita,” said Raquel who had looked for her brother for almost a year.
Arceli, on the other hand, remains to be hopeful to find Ferdinand well and alive.
“Masayang masaya kami na magkasama na ulit ang magkapatid. Sana kung nasaan man ngayon si Ferdinand, nararanasan din niya kung paano namin kinupkop si Nelson,” she said.
Notwithstanding their continued search for their loved one, the Aquino family is glad to become instruments for another family’s much-awaited reunion — something that they are hoping to experience as well soon.
—
To anyone who could provide an information about the whereabouts of Ferdinand Aquino, please send a message to his family to 0927-0627-118 or 0967-2555-802.
