as the country mourns for Ka Bel...

the untimely death of Anakpawis Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran is a big loss to the Philippine legislative body.



i can almost count, with my ten fingers alone, the names of congressmen who are consistent in terms of formulating significant pieces of legislation, aimed at alleviating the people's plight. Rep. Beltran, along with the other progressive party-list representatives, was always one of them.

in an article published today on the Philippine Star, with no less than my trainer, Sir Delon, as the principal author, it was reported that Ka Bel yesterday accidentally "fell as he was coming down after fixing the roof of his house. Doctors at the Far Eastern University (FEU) Hospital in Fairview, Quezon City tried to revive the lawmaker, who was unconscious for more than two hours."

he was pronounced dead at 11:48 a.m., several hours after the accident, which happened at around 6 a.m. he died of lacerations on the head and brain injuries.




"You're dying, and suddenly everybody loves you." - Dr. Gregory House

at around five in the afternoon after the House session adjourned earlier than the 7 p.m. schedule, the lobby of the north wing looked as if it were a chapel as congressmen and friends took turns in lighting candles, expressing their sympathy to the family of Ka Bel.

Speaker Prospero Nograles said, “We are saddened by the accident that befell our feisty and most esteemed colleague. He is the staunchest voice for the welfare of workers and masses in the House. We are shocked. He is a big loss to the institution."

“It really bleeds our hearts to lose a colleague at this untimely hour of our nation’s life. Ka Bel is not only a friend and a brother, he is a man whose passion is to serve others,” he added.


An unfinished business

rep. beltran was on his third and last term as a congressman - his first being for Bayan Muna, and the other two years for Anakpawis Party-list. he is among the three lawmakers in the 240-member 14th Congress who did not live to finish their terms.

on that afternoon, Bayan Muna Party-list representatives were expecting him to join them in filing a bill to remove the VAT on electricity. they, however, said, "We shall push through the filing of the bill and include Ka Bel's name as a co-author, in honor of his dedication to the struggles of our oppressed and marginalized people."

Ka Bel, once said that when the time comes for him to die, he would want it to happen while in a massive demonstration, say, he would have a cardiac arrest while raising arms against the oppressive government... but it was just not how things worked for him.

San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora said, "It was so characteristic of this patriot and nationalist that he should die while fixing the roof for his own house, doing things by himself, rather than sending out for professional help, fixing the roof that shelters every Filipino worker, and living the life of a real Filipino advocate until the very end."

i just hope that if ever he would intend to do a spirit-visit in the congress, it would be very slight. everyone can tolerate minimal curtain movements and wind chills, as long as chairs and computers would not fly across the rooms.

as the country mourns for Ka Bel, more people fight for truth and democracy
as the country mourns for Ka Bel, more groups stand up to continue his advocacy


my pen will surely miss inking for the name of Rep. Beltran on my articles.