MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) – A prank pulled by one of the workers in a rice mill in Nueva Ecija turned deadly when a 9-year-old boy died of asphyxiation on Monday.

Police investigation showed that the victim, identified as Mark Jayson Culano, suffered from blunt trauma after a pressurized air compressor hose was inserted into his anus by suspect Lucidro Dimacahilig, one of the rice mill operators of CAA Rice and Palay Trading in Gapan City.

Police said the victim was playing with the hose when the suspect grabbed it from him and inserted it into the boy's anus for 2 minutes.

One of the workers in the ricemill, Roberto Seroma, said the victim’s stomach became bloated before he passed out.

“Pinahanginan ang bata tapos tinusok sa pwet,” he said.

The victim was immediately brought to a hospital where he passed away.

Dimacahilig said he did not intend to kill the boy, adding that the boy was suffering from a mental illness.

“Mahilig kasi mag-spray ‘yung bata na ‘yun,” he said.

The victim’s father, however, denied that his son had a mental illness.

“Hindi abnormal ang anak ko. Kung sa kanya ko kaya gawin iyon, papayag kaya ‘yon?” sabi ni Armando Culano.

Dimacahilig is facing charges of homicide in relation to Republic Act 7610 or Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. -- Reports from Zyann Ambrosio, ABS-CBN News; Noriel Padiernos, ABS-CBN News Central Luzon