Today marks the death anniversary of Jemboy Baltazar.
The family of Jemboy Baltazar gathered at his grave today to mark the anniversary of his death and to hold a brief commemoration joined by Fr. Flavie Villanueva, Fr. Eduardo Vasquez Jr., and representatives of their legal counsel IDEALS.
Jessa and Jeraldine, Jemboy Baltazar’s two older sisters, remember their brother’s life one year after his death.
“Mga ganitong oras yun ano?” Hinahanap na yung katawan niya nitong oras last year (It was around this time, right? We were already looking for his body around this time last year),” said Jeraldine.
According to Jemboy’s mother, Rhoda, her two daughters Jessa and Jeraldine have been “like mothers” to Jemboy while she was away. Rhoda was working in Qatar before the tragedy hit their family. Jessa and Jeraldine were around the area when their brother met his cruel death.
Jemboy, 17, misidentified as the suspect in a police operation, met his death at the hands of 19 Navotas cops along a river in Babanse st., Navotas last August 2, 2023. His body was left submerged underwater before he was retrieved by his uncle hours later after his death.
On the day of Jemboy’s killing and the days that followed, the sisters worked the hardest alongside their mother, determined to attain justice for their beloved brother. They ceaselessly accompanied the family’s legal counsel to the community to gather evidence, and responded to calls coming from all directions, all while managing their own households.
Last February 27, the court delivered its judgement on the murder charges against the six police officers responsible for the fatal shooting of Jemboy: Gerry Maliban, Roberto Balais, Antonio Bugayong, Nikko Pines Esquilon, Edward Jade Blanco, and Benedict Mangada.
To the family’s dismay, none of the cops were convicted of murder. Maliban was sentenced to four to six years of imprisonment for homicide. Balais, Esquilon, Blanco, and Mangada were charged with illegal discharge of firearms with only four months of imprisonment each. While one of the cops, Bugayong, was acquitted.
Today, Jemboy’s family remains resolute in seeking justice. The family’s legal counsel extends their deepest admiration and respect to the family for their unwavering strength and determination as they continue to seek justice for their son.
“We are committed to exploring and exhausting all legal remedies available to them, working alongside them every step of the way to ensure that justice is served within the bounds of the law,” said Atty. Ansheline Bacudio of IDEALS.
Alyansa Para Sa Karapatang Pantao (ALPAS-KP), alliance of EJK victim-survivors headed by EJK victim-survivors, continues to urge victims to come forward and seek justice through local courts and through the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Nito lamang nakaraan, tumaas sa sarbey ang bilang ng mga Pilipinong sumusuporta sa imbestigasyong ito, at hinihikayat pa namin ang lahat na paingayin ang panawagan: Ibigay na ang karampatang parusa sa mga utak at galamay ng extrajudicial killings (Just recently, a survey found that the number of Filipinos supporting the ICC investigation have increased, and we encourage everyone to amplify the call: Impose the appropriate punishment on the masterminds and accomplices of extrajudicial killings.),” the group remarked.
To date, police officers are often not held accountable for wrongful killings, leaving many families grappling with a lack of justice and closure. Despite the gravity of these incidents, accountability measures frequently fall short, leading to widespread frustration and calls for reform.
This 2024, IDEALS has published the study, titled, ‘Pathways to Justice,’ which examines gaps and needs to strengthen existing national redress mechanisms.
“As countless families continue to await justice, it is imperative that we revisit and enhance our systems to ensure they provide meaningful redress and hold those responsible accountable,” said Bacudio. “Hindi pa tapos ang laban (The fight is not yet over)”
#JusticeforJemboy
Photo Credits: IDEALS
