Father’s persistent search for justice yields result

A grieving father’s incessant search for the killer of his teenage son finally paid off when he saw the suspect in one of his nightly visits to the crime scene yesterday.

For over a month, Alejandro Balingit Jr. staked out Jorge Bocobo Street in Malate, Manila, hoping that the alleged killer, 19-year-old Enrique Ebon, would show up.

Ebon shot dead Alejandro Balingit III, 14, on the night of Sept. 30 with a sumpak or improvised shotgun. The young Balingit was a regular nightspot-goer. He died at the Ospital ng Maynila from gunshot wounds.

Ebon, a leader of a youth gang, managed to elude arrest until yesterday.

The elder Balingit refused to give up the fight for justice and went to the crime scene every night, hoping that the killer would think that the heat was off and someday return.

"Every night, I was hoping that I would chance upon my son’s killer. I visited the place without fail, even if it rained. I had a hunch that my son’s killer would come back," Balingit told The STAR.

His heart leaped when Ebon did come back and he rushed to the nearby Manila Police District headquarters.

Inspector Vic Miparanum and Senior Police Officer 3 Virgo Villareal, who were manning the night shift desk at MPD’s homicide section, quickly responded and found Ebon still at the scene of the crime.

"My son’s soul will now be at peace. Finally his death will be given justice," Balingit said, vowing to continuously monitor the case with his wife.

Ebon, who claims he is innocent, is now behind bars awaiting charges. Witnesses, however, had earlier positively identified him as the gunman. — Nestor Etolle