A dreadful incident of robbery and merciless beating landed him in a hospital and eventually caused his untimely death in Bacolod last week. The culprit, a trisikad driver, remains unknown as of this time. Nevertheless, all are hoping that he will be caught the soonest possible time, and justice will be served on the senseless killing of a young person, who has dedicated his life in community service and working for the good of our environment.
Gerry Ledesma, president of the Philippines Reef and Rainforest Foundation Inc., said Benjie was an excellent community worker and a staunch conservationist. A sorry loss of a good man, Ledesma added, as he pointed out that whoever had beaten up Benjie must know how precious he was.
Benjie was so passionate about what he was doing, particularly in promoting environmental education and dealing with community affairs.
Bacolod Councilor Jocelle Batapa Sigue, on her Facebook post, expressed her sadness on the untimely demise of her friend, and claimed that she will work hard in fast tracking the passage of an ordinance regulating the trisikad and tricycle operations in the city. Sigue said she would do it in spite of possible political repercussions, as some individuals warned her, since nobody dared in the past to touch the issue of the unregulated operations of tricycles and trisikad in Bacolod.
Benjie was also a very active volunteer of the Green Alert Negros. Rusty Biñas, one of the GAN's prime movers, has this to say for Benjie: “We will celebrate your life and contribution to the environment activism. You touched us in many ways, and your peculiar way of telling your story makes us all happy. We will always remember you and your work, especially in protecting the wildlife of Negros when you gave them voice for more than two decades.”
The staff and writers of organicfarming.com.ph convey their deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this wonderful person who left so soon.
He's such a great loss. A fun loving guy whom i've seen grown up with love for nature even at an early age of 5. I can still remember their concrete fence full animal drawings out of left over paints and "kalburo". Because he loves animals so much, Lolo Benjamin ( obviously where his name derives ) made it for him.
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