Commemorating 15 years of Elusive Justice, Celebrating the Life of the People’s Botanist

Organized by the Justice for Leonard Co Movement, Institute of Biology-UP Diliman, Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society, Inc., Green Convergence, and the Constantino Foundation

The 15th of November marks the 15th anniversary of the murder of Leonard Co, known as the People’s Botanist. The occasion will be marked with several activities and announcements at the Institute of Biology in UP Diliman, concluding with a 1:00-3:00 PM press event that will provide a legal update on the case. Just as compelling will be the release during the event of a huge number of new and rescued images documented from Leonard’s field work, downloaded to a hard drive just before his horrific death. The images, rescued from a data storage unit thought to have been lost to rust and mold, were restored and organized recently by the Institute of Biology in cooperation with the Constantino Foundation and Green Convergence.

The digital photographs have since been scientifically curated and will be released for free public download starting on the press event on 15 November—a gift to the nation and the world, as Leonard Co would have wanted it. The images will form the core of the Leonard Co Collection, the main repository of the works, notes, and personal memorabilia of the beloved People’s Botanist.

The day will begin early with a tree walk and planting activity from 8:00-10:45 AM organized by the Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society, Inc., a group Co founded and which is now headed by advocate and artist Ronald Achacoso. The activity will begin at the Dita Tree, also known as the Scholar’s Tree, a memorial where a third of Leonard Co’s ashes was spread. It will circle back to the shrine for the 11:00 AM annual mass led by Glenda Co and Linnaea Co, Leonard’s wife and daughter.

Lunch will be served at Institute of Biology’s Room 203, a stone’s throw away from the Dita memorial. The room will be the venue of the press briefing, which will be held from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

At the media event, updates will be provided regarding the slow and elusive pursuit of justice by the family and friends of Leonard. This will be followed by a short presentation on the Leonard Co Collection focused on new and rescued images and notes from the restored hard drive along with new books and research initiatives on and inspired by Leonard Co, in addition to the making of a bust of the People’s Botanist by current UP Diliman College of Fine Arts Dean Toym Imao. To be announced as well: the Leonard Co Lecture Series, with the inaugural talk scheduled on 21 November at the Institute of Biology from 2:30-4:00 PM, delivered by UP Diliman Department of History Chair Dr. Ruel V. Pagunsan, titled “Branches of History: Trees and Empire.”

Further background

On 15 November 2010, Leonard Co, forest guard Sofronio Cortez, and guide Julius Borromeo, were killed by soldiers of the 19th Infantry Battalion of the AFP in Kananga, Leyte. The botanist and his colleagues were conducting a survey of tree species for a forest restoration project of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) when the soldiers mercilessly fired 245 rounds at the botanical team.

Leonard Co’s contributions to science have been so immense several plants and animals have been named after him, such as the Rafflesia Leonardi, Adelmeria leonardoi, Medinilla daliana, Diplycosia coi, Cagratia coi, Phillantus coi, Pandamus coi, Gomphandra coi, Eupatorium Leonardi, Mycaranthes leonardoi, Nepenthes Leonardi, Pinanga leonardcoi, Soricomys leonardcoi (rat), Gekko coi (Gecko).