Leonard Co’s last forest trip
ON APRIL 18, 2011, Leonard L. Co was finally granted his wish that his ashes be scattered in Palanan, Isabela. The day started with a Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Edwin Peter Dionisio, OFM of the St. Mary Magdalene Parish. When Leonard was in Palanan, he would attend the first Holy Mass at 5 a.m. and later had breakfast with Father Dionisio. Most of us were surprised at this since we knew Leonard was not a churchgoer. Father Dionisio said it might be because of his homily or his coffee.
About a hundred people attended the Holy Mass, most of whom knew Leonard—his co-workers, the store owner, the owner of the house where Leonard slept, the porter, etc. The church was filled with faces bearing collective sadness.
In his homily, Father Dionisio said that Leonard had great admiration for St. Francis, who was a nature lover. The priest also saw in Leonard a certain greatness, a character found in many heroes. He also deeply felt anger that a non-violent person such as Leonard should die a violent and senseless death.
After the concluding prayers, a eulogy was held with family and friends talking of Leonard. The former mayor of Palanan, Mayor Natividad Bernardo, declared Leonard to be an adopted son of Palanan. Oscar Lopez described his relationship with Leonard since the late 1990s, where he (Lopez) was in the Board of Trustees of Conservation International. Two of Leonard’s co-workers, Boy dela Peña and Cesar Jorge also spoke of the goodness of Leonard and their time together. Len Ragragio described who was Leonard. Lily Co-Austria, the youngest sister of Leonard, lovingly described her Kuya as the most loved by their father in a Chinese family. She told of how their parents were coping with Leonard’s death and their decision to sue the Philippine Army and how they were doing everything to raise funds for the Justice for Leonard Fund. She also thanked the people who were instrumental in the ash-scattering event. Finally, Glenda Co, Leonard’s wife read a message thanking all those who came to fulfill Leonard’s wish and also spoke of how she and their daughter were affected by the loss of a loved one.
After the Holy Mass, the people rode in vehicles to bring the ashes to the Palanan biodiversity plot. But the actual site is a one-and-a-half hours walk—first in a grassland area, then the forest trail.
The ashes were spread in a site chosen by Leonard. It was surrounded by beautiful and grand Dipterocarp trees. Father Dionisio said the final prayers, and the choir sang while Glenda, Linn Mae, Lily and Lian walked around and spread the ashes. It was 1 o’clock in the afternoon.
In the station site where Leonard stayed whenever he was in the forest, a stone marker with a plaque was put together by the people of Palanan, led by Mayor Bernardo. It was blessed and unveiled later. The plaque states that the Palanan Plot is now known as the “Leonard L. Co Plot.”
—ELENA MENCIAS-RAGRAGIO,
professor of biology,
University of the Philippines Manila
