The decade-and-a-half trial on the massacre of the country’s most famed botanist and his colleagues 15 years ago today is due for promulgation, his family announced.
On the 15th death anniversary commemoration and announcement of his rescued photos and files, botanist Leonard Co’s widow Glenda said both prosecution and defense have finished their presentations.
The parties are awaiting the Kananga Municipal Trial Court’s announcement of the date of promulgation, she said.
Nine soldiers of the 19th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army who claimed Co and company were caught in crossfire between them and the New People’s Army (NPA) are charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide.
The NPA denied it was engaged in a firefight with State troopers, saying there were no guerrilla units near the area at all.
Co, forester Sofronio Cortez and guide Julius Borromeo were in the forests of Kananga, Leyte conducting field research when waylaid by hails of gunfire from the soldiers.
The late Leonard Co posing beside the rare flower named after him, the Rafflesia leonardi, for his contributions to science. (Supplied photo)
Who was Leonard Co?
Co was considered the “foremost authority in ethnobotany in the Philippines” during his lifetime, credited for discovering eight new species of plants.
He was also responsible for recording about 10,000 kinds of plants in 129 researchers. He also authored the seminal “Medicinal Plants in the Cordillera Region.”
His contribution to science had been immense that several plants and animals have been named after him in turn.
These include 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), and Gekko coi (Gecko).
The Philippines’ national digital library on plants was named “Co’s Digital Flora” after his death.
The University of the Philippines (UP) Association of Biology Majors also called for justice for Co and colleagues.
“Leonard Co’s contributions will never be erased, but we should not forget the abominable manner that the State’s machinery ended their lives,” the students said.
Co’s gift to the world
In a press briefing at the UP College of Science on Saturday, the Constantino Foundation (CF) announced the rescue of nearly 4,000 photographs and research notes from a corrupted hard driver Co entrusted to a friend three months before his murder.
Co’s friend, Green Convergence’s Imelda Sarmiento, initially used some of the files in the drive to produce the Philippine Native Trees: Up Close and Personal book series as a tribute to Co after his death.
The series helped inspire the growing native tree planting movement in the country.
Green Convergence’s Imelda P. Sarmiento, producer of the Philippine Native Trees: Up Close and Personal book series as a tribute to her friend Leonard Co. (Photo by Aaron Ernest Cruz/Kodao)
The hard drive has since grown rusty and moldy, corrupting the files it contained, however. It had not been opened since the start of the Covid pandemic.
CF contracted a special laboratory to recover the files, which is now uploaded to UP’s Data Commons and managed by the university’s Institute of Biology (IB).
Data from Co’s hard drive files may now be downloaded for free.
CF’s Renato Redentor Constantino said the files are Co’s gift to current and future students and researchers all over the world.
In the briefing, Sarmiento also announced the forthcoming launch of the book series’ fourth edition.
UP-IB also announced the forthcoming publication of three illustrated books on foremost Filipino scientists, one of which is about Co.
Both books may roll off the press next month.
The UP Institute of Biology shows sample pages of its illustrated book on Leonard Co. (Photo by Aaron Ernest Cruz/Kodao)
Also announced at the briefing is the making of Co’s bust by current UP Diliman College of Fine Arts Dean Toym Imao and the Leonard Co Lecture Series.
The lecture’s inaugural talk is scheduled on November 21 at the College of Science Auditorium entitled “Branches of History: Trees, Empire, and Nation.” # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
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DISCLOSURE: The reporter moderated the press briefing and is part of the both the Philippine Native Trees: Up Close and Personal book series as well as the rescue of Co’s hard drive files.
