The parents of an 8-year-old pupil who died days after a school deworming activity went to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday, seeking a deeper probe into their son’s death and accountability for those responsible.

Leo and Rutchie Galero, accompanied by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), asked the NBI to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of their son Rex, a Grade 4 pupil of Hugo Perez Elementary School-Annex in Trece Martires City, Cavite.

The family has questioned whether the deworming medicine administered at school was linked to the child’s sudden deterioration, saying they wanted authorities to determine the exact cause of his death.

“Kawawa yung anak ko. Ang mahal na mahal ko ‘yan. Kaya kailangan ko po malaman kung anong kinamatay niya,” Leo told reporters at the NBI.

The grieving father described Rex as a healthy child with no known illness before the incident.

“Malusog. Sobrang lusog po niyang anak ko, mataba. Wala pong sakit ‘yan,” he said.

Leo said his son was also helping the family despite his young age.

“Tumatulong na po sa akin kahit bata pa,” he said, adding that Rex helped through small jobs.

The father recalled that Rex became ill after he was allegedly given deworming medicine during the school activity. He said the child started vomiting after returning home and later developed a fever.

“Pagka tanghali po, binigyan po siya ng gamot. Sabi po sa nanay niya nasusuka daw siya,” Leo said.

“Pagdating po ng hapon, mataas na po yung lagnat niya. Doon na siya nagsuka,” he added.

The incident happened after a deworming activity at Hugo Perez Elementary School-Annex on July 2. Several learners reportedly experienced discomfort following the activity, while Rex was hospitalized the next day after suffering vomiting. He later died, with initial medical findings pointing to septic shock caused by an infection.

The Department of Education has said it is coordinating with health authorities and other agencies to determine the circumstances surrounding the child’s death, stressing that official findings would be needed to establish whether the medicine was connected to the fatality.

The family has also called for further examination to establish what caused Rex’s death and to ensure that any lapses or negligence, if found, would be addressed.

The NBI has yet to release details on the scope of its investigation.