One year after, justice eludes slain botanist, pals

INQUIRER file photo

Friends and loved ones continue to cry out for justice for botanist Leonard Co and his two companions who were shot dead under mysterious circumstances exactly a year ago today (Tuesday) while working in the forests of Kananga, Leyte.

Co, forest guard Sofronio Cortez and Julius Borromeo, a member of the Tongonan Farmers’ Association, were killed in an alleged crossfire between government troops and communist rebels on Nov. 15, 2010.

But Co’s family believes there was no crossfire. This was also the conclusion reached by a fact-finding team made up of Co’s colleagues who subsequently filed murder charges against the soldiers before the Department of Justice (DOJ). The case is pending.

Co, a renowned botanist and plant taxonomist, and his two companions were conducting a survey in the Kananga forest in connection with the reforestation program of Energy Development Corp. (EDC) when they were mistaken for rebels and fired upon.

Co’s wife, Glenda, lamented the slow pace of the investigation of Co’s death by the DOJ. “There’s still nothing new and it’s been a year now,” she said.

Darwin Flores, Co’s brother-in-law, noted that there has been no closure in the case as far as he knew.

Year too long

Giovanni Tapang of the Justice for Leonard Co movement, who has been following the DOJ case, also lamented the slow grind of justice.

“One year is too long for both the family and the public to wait,” Tapang said, adding that the DOJ and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) have all the evidence showing that the military was responsible for the deaths.

The CHR, which conducted its own investigation of the incident, is set to announce its findings on December 8, according to chairperson Loretta Rosales.

Friends and relatives of Co, who make up the Justice for Leonard Co movement, are scheduled to picket the DOJ Tuesday.

Co’s ashes were scattered at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and the forest of Palanan, Isabela, where he had done most of his work.

To mark the first anniversary of his death, a week-long photo exhibit of Co’s life is being held at Palma Hall in UP Diliman.

A memorial Mass is also scheduled at noon Tuesday at the UP Institute of Biology. A documentary on his life will be shown at the UP Asean Center Auditorium.

On November 19-20, the First International Symposium of the Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society (PNPCS)  will be held at the National Museum in honor of Co,  founding president of the group.

Husband’s dream

Anthony Arbias, Co’s cofounder at PNPCS, said about 200 Filipino and foreign scientists had submitted papers or expressed their intent to participate in the symposium called Philippine Botanical Treasures and the Legacy of Leonard Co.

Glenda Co said the symposium was her husband’s dream. “It is good that this is being fulfilled,” she said.

A website containing Co’s works will be launched on the second day of the symposium.

Thus, Co’s collection of trees and plants will soon bloom in cyberspace.

Co was a towering figure in Philippine botany, having identified thousands of species and written the definitive book on Cordillera plants.

Life’s work in database

This weekend, local and foreign scientists-friends of Co will unveil a database that will contain plant and tree species he photographed and catalogued during his lifetime.

Arbias said the website’s content came from Co’s files and was catalogued for online by botanists Dr. Julie Barcelona of University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and Dr. Dan Nickrent of Southern Illinois University.

It will contain photographs and names of about 10,000 plant species that he collected over the years.

Students and scientists will be able to access Co’s work online starting next week.

In Leyte, a Mass will be said at the EDC nursery to commemorate the three men’s  death anniversary, said Sheryl Cortez, a daughter of Cortez, who works as a watershed technician for EDC.