For a long time, Canada has been a symbol of hope and a new beginning for millions of Filipinos who yearn for a better life. The success stories of OFWs who venture to this cold country are often full of inspiration, effort, and dreams of lifting their families out of poverty. Among those who dreamt and succeeded are the couple Erwin and Chona Manzano, who through hard work and collaboration have built a stable and prosperous life in Calgary. They are the picture of a Filipino family who achieved the coveted “Canadian Dream”—with their own house, a car, and most of all, a happy family consisting of three healthy children. However, behind this success is a tragedy that no one expected, a nightmare caused by overconfidence in someone they considered their blood relative.

The Manzano family’s story began with a simple dream of a better future. During their stay in Calgary, they proved that hard work pays off. They were able to build assets and raise their children well. Wanting to improve their lives and meet the needs of their children while they worked, they decided to seek help. Instead of hiring someone else or paying for expensive daycare, they decided to help a relative from the Philippines. The plan was simple and full of good intentions: they would save money, and at the same time, they would help Chona’s cousin, Guevara Wilson Clorina, come to Canada so that he too could have the opportunity to advance his career.

Guevara, then twenty-six years old, was welcomed wholeheartedly by the Manzano family. Chona arranged his paperwork, picked him up at the airport, and let him live in their beautiful home. He was not only an employee but was treated as a true member of the family. The children became close to him, and their lives went smoothly from the start. For Erwin and Chona, having a relative in the house gave them peace of mind, knowing that their children were in good hands while they worked hard. Unbeknownst to them, this decision filled with concern would lead to a heinous crime that shook the entire Filipino community in Canada.

The family’s quiet life came to an end on May 16, 2013. A day that should have been filled with joy and children’s laughter ended in deafening silence. Erwin’s father, Ernesto, visited his son’s house to visit his grandchildren. However, upon his arrival, he immediately felt uneasy when he saw the garage open and no one to greet him. The silence inside the house was unusual for a home with three naughty children. Upon entering, he was confronted with a scene that no parent or grandparent should ever witness. The house was filled with traces of violence, and in the kitchen he found the lifeless body of his daughter-in-law, Chona.

In extreme fear and shock, Ernesto desperately searched for other family members. He went up to the second floor and found his five-year-old grandson Gabriel, also dead, in the master’s bedroom. Both victims had sustained severe injuries that indicated the perpetrator’s extreme anger. The scene was simply painful and inhumane. Ernesto quickly called for help from neighbors, but it was too late for the mother and son. The news spread quickly, and everyone’s question was who was responsible for this cruelty to a very kind family.

The authorities’ investigation progressed rapidly. They noticed that Chona’s car was missing, which became the key to tracking down the culprit. With the help of modern technology and cooperation between agencies, the car was found in a remote area, and everyone was shocked to see who was driving it—Guevara, the cousin the family had helped and trusted. He was covered in wounds and was immediately arrested. His capture raised a serious question: Why would a blood relative do this to the person who gave him a good life?

During the trial, the dark truth gradually emerges. This is not a simple theft or a sudden outburst of emotion. It turns out that Chona has discovered a disgusting secret by Guevara—his abuse of one of the couple’s daughters. When Chona confronts her cousin about his lewdness, Guevara begs her not to report him to the police. She knows that if the authorities find out, she will not only be imprisoned but also sent back to the Philippines full of shame. However, as a mother, Chona cannot afford to overlook what he did to her daughter. She insists on holding her cousin accountable, and this is what drives Guevara to commit the crime to silence Chona.

What’s more painful is that five-year-old Gabriel was only implicated because he witnessed what Guevara did to his mother. In order to leave no witnesses, the perpetrator also took the life of the innocent child. This detail broke the hearts of many people who followed the case. The young Gabriel, whom his father described as always smiling and welcoming him home, became a victim of violence by the man he called uncle. The gravity of the incident was the reason why the family decided to accept the plea deal so as not to have to relive the painful details in a long trial.

Ultimately, Guevara was sentenced to life imprisonment with the condition that he would not be eligible for parole for 35 years. Although justice was achieved through legal means, the pain and trauma that the incident left behind for Erwin and his two children will never go away. Their home, once a place of dreams, has become a place of nightmare, so they decided to vacate it and remove it from online maps to give the family some privacy.

This story serves as a painful reminder to everyone, especially our compatriots abroad. Helping others, even relatives, is a noble deed, but it does not guarantee that we will be reciprocated with kindness. It also shows the severity of the impact of hidden evils such as child abuse, which when exposed can lead to even greater tragedy. Despite everything, the Manzano family continues to rise, carrying the memory of Chona and Gabriel, while the person who betrayed them will suffer behind bars for the rest of his life, carrying the weight of his conscience for destroying the family that gave him everything.