Balili a good provider, juggles work, studies

The mother of late Senior Police Officer 1 Roderick Balili admitted that their family has been financially crippled after the death of her son.

Balili was the eldest of 10 siblings and a father of a seven-year-old son.

He is considered as the breadwinner of the family although he already has a family of his own.

“Dako gyud kaayong kawad-on. Mura mi og napiang. Bisag minyo na siya naglingi gihapon siya sa iyang mga manghod. Siya'y nagasto pageskwela nila. Upat gud na iyang gigastuhan pageskwela,” said the 60-yearold mother of Balili, who asked not to be named.

Balili was providing for his two remaining siblings who were studying in college and high school. One of his siblings already graduated, while the other one died before he could graduate.

Balili died on Friday evening, two days after he was allegedly hit by accidental firing inside the service vehicle while on their way conducting a surveillance operation in Pinamungajan, Cebu against a high-value target.

While that was the top police management's version of his death, Balili was linked as the alleged perpetrator of slain Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agent, Von Rian Tecson, who was ambushed on his way home to Barangay Perrelos, Carcar City, just an hour after Balili was allegedly victimized by accidental firing.

However, PRO-7 Director Debold Sinas had belied the alleged connection, stressing there was no truth to such claims and that the two incidents coincidently happened just an hour in between.

Balili allegedly got wounded when his colleague passed to him the 9mm service firearm and accidentally fired and hit him when they met a major road hump in a still undetermined barangay in Pinamungajan.

He suffered two gunshot wounds to his chest, which led to his death two days after.

Balili's mother said that his son grew up in a family who strives to make both ends meet on a day to day basis.

His father was a farmer and also a ‘manananggot' while his mother is a plain housewife.

“Malipay nalang gud na siya nga naay buwad. Naay saging, paborito niya ang saging ug kanang puti nga gabi,” she added.

Right after Balili graduated in elementary, he asked permission from his mother to continue his studies in Cebu City, while staying in one of their relatives.

His mother said that Roderick, despite at a young age, tirelessly juggled work and his studies until he finished criminology at the University of the Visayas.

“Mao gyud na iyang pangandoy sa una (magpolice). Wala man gyud ko mag-suporta niana sauna kay dili ko ganahan. Pero pangandoy man niya, suportahan ko nalang. Pag-ampo lang sa Ginoo nga dili lang siya madaot pero ambot nganong..,” she said.

She added that her son's dreams for his siblings and even to his son was for them to become a policeman like him, in order to protect the community from personalities with evil intentions.

She said that she last heard her son's voice last August 2 when she called him to ask money for their electricity bills. She did not expect that would be her last conversation with her eldest son.

"Nag-ingon lang siya nga wala pa siya'y ikahatag nga kwarta kay daghan pa siya og bayrunon. Sa tanang oras gipasidan-an na nako siya nga magamping," she said.

Balili's father, on the other hand, also described his eldest son as responsible and obedient.

Balili's mother only hopes that her son will be given the benefits he deserved from the PNP organization, considering that the police officer has a seven-year-old son.