CBCP president: Death of Jemboy Baltazar in Navotas not accident but murder

Friends and loved ones hold a funeral march to bring Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar to his resting place at the La Loma Catholic Cemetery in Caloocan City on August 16, 2023. INQUIRER.net / Faith Argosino

MANILA, Philippines — The death of 17-year-old Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar, who was allegedly killed by six Navotas policemen last August 2, is not an accident but an act of murder, according to Caloocan Bishop and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Pablo Virgilio David.

David said this during a funeral mass on Wednesday, as he likened the death of Baltazar to 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos, who was also killed by law enforcers six years ago today in a police operation along Barangay 160, Caloocan City.

“Alam natin lahat na ang nangyari kay Jemboy ay nangyari na rin sa mas kilalang biktima na mistaken identity si Kian Delos Santos at nakapangingilabot isipin na pinatay siya sa mismong araw na ito,” the CBCP president said.

(We all know that what happened to Jemboy also happened to another famous victim of mistaken identity Kian Delos Santos and it is terrifying to think that he was killed on this very day.)

“Hindi po reckless imprudence with homicide ang tawag sa ganyan murder period murder period,” he added.

(It’s not called reckless imprudence that resulted in homicide, it is murder period, murder period.)

Following the mass, loved ones and friends held a caravan to bring Baltazar to his resting place at the La Loma Catholic Cemetery in Caloocan City around 5 p.m.

On August 2, Baltazar was shot and killed by six Navotas policemen along a river in Balanse Street, Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran. The cops admitted they did not intend to kill him and only mistaken him for a murder suspect they were tracking down.

The policemen faced criminal and administrative charges and are currently under police custody.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) said the charges against the police officers are already at the summary dismissal stage.

Moreover, Navotas police chief Col. Allan Umipig has also been removed from his post and is facing administrative charges in connection with the death of Baltazar.

He was relieved from his post by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr, upon the recommendation of IAS, after the agency’s investigation showed that Umipig instructed the team leader of the operatives to exclude the names of 11 other officers who were also involved with the shooting incident.

RELATED STORIES

Navotas teen murder: Police chief sacked, admin raps filed

Body of teen shot in Navotas abandoned by police, victim’s kin says

JPV