World champion Carlo Biado and other top Filipino billiards players mourned the tragic death of the country’s billiards “Godfather,” Ceferino “Perry” Mariano, who was killed along with his driver in a deadly ambush in Quezon City on Tuesday, April 28.
The 42-year-old Biado expressed deep sadness – and anger – over the manner the old hand in billiards – the one that helped him and many others reach their true potentials – was killed.
For them, “Boss Perry” was their guiding light in many battles they waged here and abroad that enabled them to gain international fame – not to mention earn a fortune for their respective families.
He also called for the swift justice for the killing of their ‘godfather.’
“Boss, isa ka sa dahilan kung nasan ako ngayon [at humubog sa akin]. Maraming Salamat sa lahat lahat boss. Sa paniniwala sa kakayahan ko nung nagsismula palang ako. Hinding hindi kita mkakalimutan boss,” Biado wrote on his social media post.
“Sobrang sakit pero tanging dasal na lang ang maii-alay ko para sa katarungan!” he added.
His fellow world champion players like Dennis Orcollo, Ronnie Alcano, and Johann Chua, along with Perry’s son Hadley, founder of the Sharks Billiards Association (SBA), also expressed their sorrow as they paid tribute through social media posts.
“Sobrang nakakalungkot. Malaking parte ng karera ko sa paglalaro ng bilyar mula sayo from trainings sa mga money games at tournament ko dati no’ng bata pa ako. Ikaw rin ang unang naniwala sakin na kaya kong manalo sa international tournament sa ibang bansa,” Chua wrote.
“[No’ng] 2008 pina-byahe mo ako sa Indonesia para sa isang tournament kahit 16 years old palang ako naniwala ka sakin na kaya ko. Maraming Salamat sa lahat lahat Boss Perry.
“Hanggang sa muli Boss!” he added.
In CCTV footage retrieved by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), the suspects were riding a motorcycle – which was later dumped by the perpetrators then recovered by authorities – along Timog Avenue in broad daylight. (Mark Rey Montejo)
