MANILA, Philippines – With vehicles crisscrossing all sides of the roads, streets were clogged in Navotas City as the lunch time approached. But people near Bangus street in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran were busy with something else – they were preparing for the burial of Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar.

Jemboy, 17, was killed by Navotas City cops in a river nearby their home. While the teenager and his friend were cleaning their boat, cops fired their guns at them, killing Jemboy.

On Wednesday, August 16, the neighborhood where Jemboy grew up came together in preparing for his burial set at 1:30 pm that day. Some of them were his relatives, but most of their neighbors just gave a helping hand as a sign of solidarity with the grieving family.

An hour before the scheduled departure of the hearse from their house, Jemboy’s family wore their white shirts, with an image of Jemboy’s face in front, and a call for justice at the back. Fr. Flavie Villanueva from AJ Kalinga Center, who helps families of drug war victims, also arrived in Jemboy’s house to assist the family in preparing for the teenager’s burial.

Other clerics also arrived, including activist-priest Fr. Robert Reyes, and started talking to Jemboy’s parents. The priests also blessed the teenager’s casket before the remains were transferred to a vehicle for the funeral mass.

Jemboy’s remains passed through the road parallel to the river where he lost his life.

Admonishing the police

Inside the San Lorenzo Ruiz and Companion Martyrs Parish Church, Jemboy’s casket was placed in front of the altar, with his family and friends occupying most seats. But Jemboy also had important visitors who know exactly how it feels to lose someone in the hands of the police: drug war victims’ families.

For the Holy Mass, more than 10 priests led by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David lined up at the church’s entrance to prepare for the funeral mass. The image was compelling – projecting the church’s strong support to the drug war victims, and its utmost contempt on the continued killings.

During his homily, Bishop David admonished the police and questioned the cops’ mistaken identity narrative. The police claimed they mistook Jemboy for a shooting suspect they were pursuing in the same village.

The bishop, who is also a strong critic of the bloody drug war, reminded the police of their sworn duty: “Mga kapatid na pulis, hindi kayo ang batas. Mga alagad lamang kayo ng batas. Hindi kayo inatasan, binihisan ng uniporme, inarmasan, at binabayaran mula sa buwis ng bayan para pumatay.“

(Our dear cops, you are not the law. You are mere enforcers of the law. You were not ordered, given uniforms, armed, and being paid from the country’s taxes just to kill people.)

The church played an important role in fighting the effects of the bloody drug war. Aside from helping the families, the church took the vital position of speaking up against inhumane policies of the Philippine government.

After the Mass, Jemboy’s mother Rodaliza expressed her gratitude to everyone who helped their family. She recalled her painful life as an overseas Filipino worker, which according to her took a toll on her family, especially to Jemboy.

“Nagtatrabaho ako para sa ibang tao pero ‘yong pamilya ko, ‘di ko maalagaan. Sobrang sakit na wala siya…Sabi niya rin na uuwi [lang] si Mama kapag patay na ako. Siguro po nasabi niya ‘yon sa sobrang mga naiisip niya na nakalimutan ko na siya. [Iniisip mo ‘yon pero] mahal na mahal ka ni Mama, alam mo ‘yan,” Rodaliza said, weeping while talking to her dead son.

(I am working for other people, but I could not take care of my own family. It’s so painful that Jemboy is gone. Jemboy said one time that I will only return when he dies. Maybe he said that because he thought I had forgotten him. You may have thought that way, but Mama loves you so much, you know that.)

Jemboy’s hearse left the church before 3 pm, and started marching toward La Loma Catholic Cemetery in Caloocan. After almost two hours, the procession reached the cemetery. As Jemboy’s hearse entered the graveyard, some of his favorite songs played, including a Filipino song that used the melody and rhythm of the song “Incomplete.”

The hearse stopped a few meters away from his tomb. The priests gave their final blessings, and the family said their final goodbye.

Jemboy was entombed shortly before 5 pm. The teenager was laid to rest on the sixth year of Kian delos Santos’ killing in Caloocan City in 2017. Both the teenagers brutally died at the hands of the very people that enforce our laws.

Another slain teenager was laid to rest, but the fight of his family continues.

The six cops who were tagged in his killing remain detained at the Navotas City police station for a complaint of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. More administrative charges will be filed against more cops in the coming days, the authorities earlier announced. – Rappler.com