July 18th, 2013
It was only a little over a month ago that Welmer Pagenta served as my body guard and driver on my last trip to Illigan in Mindanao. Welmer was a humble and quite man who enjoyed sharing a rum with me at night. He not only attended Aikido practice every day, but he also attended every AHAN Mindanao activity and project. In the project progress videos sent to my, he was always there, working hard with a quite smile.
His death was sudden. One rainy day in July, Welmer had been working at the construction site of the New Life Center. It was his birthday and he decided to leave early to be with his family. Driving back to town on his motorcycle he was ambushed and shot three times. Even though mortally wounded he got himself home and to the hospital. He died 9 days later. The hit man was arrested, but the truth of this senseless tragedy is still not clear.
After retiring from a distinguished career in the military, Welmer devoted his life to educating the young. His senseless death is a great loss to all that knew him.
Welmer (in the white T-shirt) with friends before going to the Badjao New Life Center construction site.
This was the last photo taken of him.
Funeral service with friends, family and a special tribute from the Philippine Army
I did not know when the date was set for the opening ceremony for the Badjao New Life Center in July that I would be coming to Mindanao to attend a funeral.
I was not surprised by the number of people who attended the funeral for Welmer, but I was very surprised to hear about the life of the man I had known only through the AHAN Mindanao Learning Center as a gentle and quite man.
Welmer Pagenta, I was to learn, was a distinguished soldier, who had served the UN abroad in many countries and had been the body guard of four generations of Philippine presidents.
I had spent many hours with Wilmer through AHAN in Mindanao, and never once had he told me of his military career. A gracious and humble man indeed.
Reported by
Gaku Homma
Nippon Kan Kancho