MANILA, Philippines — The overseas Filipino worker (OFW) mother of a teenager shot dead by Navotas police in a case of mistaken identity arrived in the country yesterday morning.
The Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) assisted in the repatriation of Rodaliza Baltazar, whose son Jerhode “Jemboy” Baltazar, 17, was “mistakenly shot by Navotas policemen last week,” the DMW said in a social media post.
Baltazar, who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on a Philippine Airlines flight from Doha at around 10:35 a.m., was welcomed by DMW Undersecretaries Bernard Olalia and Hans Cacdac as well as OWWA Administrator Arnell Ignacio.
The officials assured Baltazar and her family of the government’s support in their time of grief.
Baltazar “conveyed the family’s request for privacy at this time to mourn the loss of her son,” the DMW said.
Baltazar’s family will receive P100,000 cash, according to the DMW, which added that it and OWWA will cover funeral and burial expenses.
Olalia said Baltazar sought repatriation assistance after learning that her son had been killed by police.
Baltazar “had been hiding from Qatari authorities and working odd jobs after running away from her employer last year,” Olalia said. — Rudy Santos