Benjamin de Jesus
{{Short description|Roman Catholic prelate (1940–1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = bishop
| honorific_prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend
| name = Benjamin David de Jesus
| honorific_suffix = OMI, D.D.
| title = Apostolic Vicar of Jolo
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| see = Apostolic Vicariate of Jolo
| appointed = October 11, 1991
| term_start = February 15, 1992
| term_end = February 4, 1997
| predecessor = George Eli Dion
| successor = Angelito Lampon
| opposed =
| other_post = Titular Bishop of Bladia
| ordination = December 29, 1967
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| consecration = January 6, 1992
| consecrated_by = Pope John Paul II
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| birth_name = Benjamin David de Jesus
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1940|07|25|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Malabon, Rizal, Philippine Commonwealth
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1997|02|04|1940|07|25|mf=y}}
| death_place = Jolo, Sulu, Philippines
| tomb = Jolo Cathedral
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| nationality = Filipino
| religion = Roman Catholic
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| motto = "Amare Est Servire"
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| coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Benjamin David de Jesus.svg
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{{Infobox bishopstyles |
| name = Benjamin de Jesus
| dipstyle=
| offstyle = Your Excellency
| relstyle = Bishop
| image = Coat of arms of Benjamin David de Jesus.svg
| image_size = 200px
}}
Benjamin David de Jesus {{post-nominals|list=OMI}} (July 25, 1940 – February 4, 1997) was a Philippine prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Apostolic Vicar of Jolo from 1992 until his murder in 1997. He was the first Filipino bishop to be assassinated in the history of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.{{cite news | access-date = 26 July 2020 | url = https://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=/1997/02/05/oblate-bishop-shot-dead-in-jolo-southern-philippines&post_id=8896 | title = Oblate Bishop Shot Dead in Jolo, Southern Philippines | date= 4 February 1997 | work = UCA News }}
Biography
Benjamin David de Jesus was born in the Hulong Duhat district of Malabon, Rizal (now part of Metro Manila) on July 25, 1940. He was ordained a priest as a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate on December 29, 1967.
On October 11, 1991, Pope John Paul II named him titular bishop of Bladia and Apostolic Vicar of Jolo.{{cite book | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | access-date = 26 July 2020 | url = http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-84-1992-ocr.pdf | date= 1992 | volume = LXXXIV | pages= 91–2 }} He received his episcopal consecration on January 6, 1992 from Pope John Paul.{{cite web | access-date = 25 July 2020 | url = http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/it/homilies/1992/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19920106.html | date= 6 January 1992 | publisher = Libreria Editrice Vaticana | language = it | title = Ordinazione di 11 Nuove Vescovi nella Solennità dell'Epifania }} He was installed in Jolo on February 15.
He was shot six times and killed outside the cathedral on Jolo on February 4, 1997.{{cite news | work= New York Times | access-date = 26 July 2020 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/07/world/catholic-bishop-slain-on-muslim-isle-in-philippines.html | date = 7 February 1997 | title = Catholic Bishop Slain on Muslim Isle in Philippines | agency = Reuters }}{{cite news | work = Los Angeles Times | access-date = 26 July 2020 |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-05-mn-25750-story.html | title= Catholic Bishop Shot to Death in Philippines by Man, Young Boy | date= 5 February 1997 }} A female bystander was killed and several others were wounded.{{cite news | work = UCA News | url = https://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=/1999/01/29/suspect-in-bishop-de-jesus-killing-arrested&post_id=12890 | title = Suspect in Bishop de Jesus' Killing Arrested | date= 28 January 1999 }} Authorities blamed Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim group intent on disrupting interreligious rapprochement.{{cite book | access-date = 26 July 2020 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qyo-Hti0-KAC&pg=PA184 | pages= 184–5 |first= William | last = Larousse | title= A Local Church Living for Dialogue: Muslim-Christian Relations in Mindanao-Sulu, Philippines: 1965–2000 | date= 2001 | publisher = Editrice Pontificia Università Gregoriana| isbn=9788876528798 }} The crime remains unsolved.
De Jesus was entombed in the Jolo Cathedral.{{cite news | access-date = 26 July 2020 | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/18231/police-investigate-grenade-attack-on-cathedral-in-s-philippines | date= 12 January 2010 | title = Police investigate grenade attack on cathedral in S. Philippines | work = Catholic News Agency }} His assassination is commemorated annually, usually with demonstrations of Christian-Muslim solidarity.{{cite news | access-date = 26 July 2020 | url = https://www.manilatimes.net/2018/02/06/news/top-stories/jolo-recalls-death-catholic-bishop/378409/ | work = Manila Times | date= 6 February 2018 | title = Jolo recalls death of Catholic bishop | first = Felipe F. | last = Salvosa II }} The Ben de Jesus College Library at Notre Dame of Midsayap College is named after him.{{cite web | access-date = 26 July 2020 | url = https://sites.google.com/site/mlisjourney/ | title = Ben de Jesus College Library | website = Notre Dame of Midsayap College | archive-date = 12 October 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201012042433/https://sites.google.com/site/mlisjourney/ | url-status = dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdejesus.html Catholic Hierarchy: Bishop Benjamin David de Jesus, O.M.I.] Wikipedia:SPS
{{Authority control}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{s-bef|before=George Eli Dion}}
{{s-ttl|title=Apostolic Vicar of Jolo| years=February 15, 1992 – February 4, 1997}}
{{s-aft|after =Angelito Lampon}}
{{s-bef|before=José Vilaplana Blasco}}
{{s-tul|title=Bishop of Bladia| years= February 15, 1992 – February 4, 1997}}
{{s-aft|after =Oswald Gracias}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:De Jesus, Benjamin David}}
Category:People murdered in the Philippines
Category:Unsolved murders in the Philippines
Category:1997 murders in the Philippines