Leading plant expert killed in Army-NPA crossfire

One of the country's leading plant biologists was killed in a reported crossfire between government troops and the New People's Army in Leyte on Monday as he was searching for tree species suitable for a forest restoration project. Leonardo L. Co, a botanist and president of the Philippine Native Plants Conservation Society, died in Upper Mahiao, Barangay Lim-ao, Kananga town in Leyte province while doing research work for the Energy Development Corporation. "Leonard was one of the country's greatest plant taxonomists. His opinion on taxonomic issues was sought after by experts," said wildlife biologist Dr. Perry Ong, Co's friend and colleague. "His encyclopedic memory of plants was unequaled. You could ask him the name of a plant and he would tell you its relationship with other plants and give you the reference. A great loss to the country and to the conservation community."

According to the Facebook page entitled Leonardo L. Co: In Honor and Memory, which was created Tuesday morning, Co was with four other team members when an Army unit reportedly encountered elements of the New People's Army in the vicinity. Two other members of the EDC research team were reportedly killed together with Co, while two survived. Ong said that Co and his companions had security clearance. The Army reportedly responded to rebel sightings in the area. According to the Facebook page created in his memory, Co will lie in state at Funeraria Paz in Quezon City until Thursday evening, and will be transferred to the campus of his alma mater, University of the Philippines Diliman, on Friday. "His remains will be cremated on Saturday and his ashes scattered in Palanan [town in Isabela province], on one particular tree in UP Diliman, and the rest to remain with his immediate family," the page stated. As a foremost botanist of the UP Diliman and Conservation International-Philippines, Co was given the honor of having a newly-discovered species of Rafflesia (a plant genus bearing giant flowers), Rafflesia leonardis, named after him. Co, 56, is survived by wife Glenda and daughter Linnaei Marie. - Howie Severino/JV, GMANews.TV