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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider De Lima laments light penalty on cop who shot, killed Jemboy

De Lima laments light penalty on cop who shot, killed Jemboy

Published Feb 28, 2024 02:27 am

Former senator Leila de Lima was disappointed with the verdict in the trial of Navotas policemen who were implicated in the shooting and killing of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar on Aug. 2, 2023. 

Jemboy was allegedly mistaken by the cops for a suspect during a police operation in Barangay NBBS, Navotas. 

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Jemboy Baltazar (Facebook)jemboy6.jpg

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The Navotas policemen on Feb. 27 (Noel Pabalate)

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Former senator Leila de Lima (Noel Pabalate)Jemboy2.jpg

Rodaliza Baltazar, mother of Jemboy on Feb. 27 (IDEALS Inc.)jemboy3.jpg

Group calling for justice for Jemboy Baltazar outside the Navotas court on Feb. 27 (IDEALS Inc.)

Instead of murder, the Navotas City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 286, in a decision on Feb. 27, found Police Staff Sergeant Gerry Maliban guilty of homicide and sentenced him to four to six years in prison.

His companions were found guilty for illegal discharge of firearms and sentenced them to four months in prison. They were Police Executive Master Sergeant Roberto Balais Jr., Police Staff Sergeant Nikko Esquilon, Police Corporal Edmark Jake Blanco and Patrolman Benedict Mangada.

The court, meanwhile, acquitted Police Staff Sergeant Antonio Bugayong for murder.

The six policemen were originally charged with murder. 

Rodaliza Baltazar, mother of Jemboy, was disappointed with the court’s verdict. 

“Yun lang po ba yung halaga ng buhay ng anak ko? Siya, apat na taon lang makukulong. Yung anak ko, habambuhay nang wala (Is that the only value of my son’s life? He will be jailed for only four years. My son is gone forever,” said Baltazar.

De Lima, who served as justice secretary, said the verdict meant justice was not served. 

“The light penalty for homicide imposed and only on one of the Navotas cops who shot and killed Jemboy Baltazar, with the others being merely slapped on the hand with illegal discharge of firearm, does not convince us that justice has been served,” she said in a statement. 

She added, “The crime was committed still within the context of Duterte's drug war where police were given the license to shoot to kill mere suspects, and even killed innocent ones, like Jemboy.” 

IDEALS Inc., “an alternative lawyering group committed to upholding human dignity, facilitating access to justice,” felt disappointed with the verdict. 

“IDEALS, Inc., together with the Baltazar Family, laments the decision of the court to convict only one police officer of homicide, four of lesser crimes, and one acquittal, over the tragic killing of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar,” the group said in a statement 

According to De Lima, the verdict in Jemboy’s case shows that there is a need for the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC). 

“It does not bode well for how our courts render justice to drug war victims, even in the remote chance when charges are indeed filed in court. That is why we need the ICC to bring the perpetrators of the drug war killings to justice,” she said. 

The ICC will be investigating the alleged crimes committed by the Duterte government under its “war on drugs” campaign. 

However, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rejected the ICC’s investigation and said the government will not cooperate with its probe. 

Related Tags

Jemboy Baltazar Navotas Leila de Lima metronews
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