MANILA, Philippines – Forty-year-old Rodaliza Baltazar flew to Qatar in February 2021 hoping to provide a better life for her three children.

But for Rodaliza, it wasn’t an easy life as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW). During her nine months as a domestic worker, Rodaliza was overworked, leading her to escape. Her employer accused her of absconding, and she was detained for a year.

Once freed, Rodaliza could have attempted to go home. Instead, she continued to work odd jobs, hiding from Qatari authorities.

But on Friday, August 11, Rodaliza came home to her youngest, Jemboy, who was killed in a mistaken identity case by Navotas police on August 2.

“Sana mabigyan ng hustisya ‘yung anak ko (I want justice for my son),” Rodaliza told reporters on Friday evening.

Rodaliza questioned the circumstances of the killing – why did they just shoot then and there, in broad daylight? Why didn’t they ask for his name before shooting? Why did they leave him at the river for hours?

“Ano ba ‘yung tingin nila sa anak ko? Ano lang po, pusa o aso na binaril lang nila? Pinabayaan lang nila doon? Tao po ‘yung anak ko, 17 years old lang po ‘yun,” she said. (What did they think of my son? Was he just a cat or dog they just shot? And they just left him alone? My son is a person, only 17 years old.) 

“Sana po makonsensiya po sila sa ginawa nila sa anak ko,” she added, speaking of the six policemen tagged in the crime. (I hope they feel remorse about what they did to my son.)

Rodaliza remembers her only son Jemboy as “malambing,” a sweet child. When she was in Qatar, he constantly asked when she would come home.

During her time in detention abroad, Rodaliza was not able to communicate with her children, and she could not send Jemboy a gift on his birthday. “I never anticipated this could happen. If I had only known, then I could have made up for it. But how can I make up for it, now that he’s dead?” she said in Filipino.

Rodaliza also recalled a time she sent money to her family – on the day that Jemboy died.

“Nagpapadala po talaga ako ng pera. Hindi ko po alam na mamamatay siya na ‘yung araw na ‘yun. Hindi ko alam na ‘yung perang ipapadala ko para sa…birthday niya, ‘yun pala, sa kamatayan niya na ‘yun,” she said.

(I send remittances regularly. I did not know that he would die that day. I did not know that the money I would send for his birthday would be used for his death.)

Her shock and distress over learning what happened to her son prompted her to seek help from Philippine authorities in Qatar.

“Siya po ay tinulungan natin gawa po ng mandate ng Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) na tutulong hindi lamang po sa OFW kundi sa kani-kanilang pamilya,” said Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia upon Rodaliza’s arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

(We assisted her as part of the DMW’s mandate to not only help OFWs, but their families as well.)

Rodaliza arrived in Manila on Friday morning, escorted by officials from the DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

“Tinanong namin kung ano ang mga kailangan niya. Nirespeto natin kung ano ang desisyon niya kasi isang masakit na pangyayari ‘yung nangyari sa kanyang anak at tutulong tayo na mabigyan ng hustisya ‘yung pagkakabaril sa kanyang minamahal na anak,” said Olalia. 

(We asked her what her needs were. We respected her decisions because what happened to her son is a painful experience, and we will help to bring justice for the shooting of her beloved son.)

Authorities provided Rodaliza with $200 in initial assistance at the airport, though she is set to receive a total of P100,000 in assistance from the DMW and OWWA, as well as scholarships for her two other children.

The government is also shouldering Jemboy’s funeral and burial fees.

Continued ‘culture of violence’

At Jemboy’s wake in Navotas, just near the river where he was shot and killed, activist priest Father Flavie Villanueva spoke about how the “culture of violence” from the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte persists.

“Para sa mga nagtatanong kung tuloy pa ang patayan, ito po ang ebidensiya. Sa patayan na sinimulan ng Duterte administration, tuloy pa hanggang ngayon ang kulturang sinimulan nila,” he said. 

(For those asking if the killings have continued, this is the evidence. The killings that began during the Duterte administration, this and the culture they started still lives on.)

“Huwag nating pabayaan ang ating bayan na lumubog sa kultura ng karahasan. Huwag nating pabayaan na madami pa at mayroon pang madagdagan na mga mangungulila. Si Jemboy ay madaming kuwento at hugis. Si Jemboy ay masuwerte sapagkat may nakakita, may mga matatapang, at babantayan natin ‘yung mga patuloy na naninindigan,” he added.

(Let us not allow our country to sink into this culture of violence. Let us not allow for more to be orphaned. Jemboy has many stories and forms. Jemboy was lucky because there was a witness, and there are strong people to stand up for him. We will keep looking after those who will continue to stand for him.)

On Friday, forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun reported that Jemboy died due to brain injuries caused by a gunshot, with drowning as a “contributory cause.”

During the August 2 encounter in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran, the police said they fired at Jemboy and his friend, having mistaken Baltazar for a shooting suspect they were pursuing. 

The police claimed that Jemboy jumped into the water, but Baltazar’s sister Jessa told Rappler that Jemboy did not jump, but rather fell into the water after sustaining gunshot wounds. Fortun’s findings corroborated Jessa’s account.

At least 27 Navotas cops have been relieved of their posts following Jemboy’s killing. – Rappler.com