Manila Bulletin
November 17, 2010, 7:53pm
MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — Senator Pia Cayetano condemned on Wednesday the killing of one of the country’s top Filipino botanists in alleged crossfire between soldiers and communist rebels in Leyte last Monday.
Cayetano said the death of Leonardo Co, a University of the Philippines-trained botanist, is not only a loss to the scientific community, but also to the environment as well as the field of traditional herbal medicine.
“I am saddened by the loss of Leonardo Co who personifies what we may call as ‘people’s scientists.’ His role in the community may have been low-key and perhaps often unnoticed, but it has brought invaluable help to our people in developing their knowledge and skill on traditional herbal medicines,” said Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.
Cayetano called for an independent investigation into Co’s death and the two forest guards who were with him when the encounter occurred in Leyte.
”It still must be established whether the bullets that took the three innocent lives came from the rebels or soldiers, or whether there was any foul play involved,” she said.
Co’s team was reportedly in the Kananga forests conducting a study on tree biodiversity and collecting seedling specimens of wild trees for replanting as part of his work as biodiversity consultant of the Energy Development Corp.
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