Roman M. Benavente, 72

Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente’s father, Roman Manahane Benavente, passed away yesterday morning—nearly a year after he suffered from a major stroke. He was 72.

“I was at the hospital room for about 15 minutes before he breathed his last,” said the Lt. Governor in a telephone interview yesterday.

Benavente said that he and his siblings have been taking turns watching their father since his admission to the Commonwealth Health Center two weeks ago.

“He had been weak lately. It’s so hard to see him suffer,” he said.

Meantime, Gov. Juan N. Babauta said he was “greatly saddened over the news about the Lt. Governor’s father’s death.”

“I express my deepest sympathy to the family of my very good and trusted friend, my cumpadre, the Lt. Governor. I am greatly saddened and I grieve with the family over the loss of a great loved one,” said Babauta.

The Lt. Governor said he was at the hospital the night before his father’s death. After a meeting at his office yesterday morning, he said he rushed back to the hospital.

Feeling a sudden rush of emotion upon his arrival, he started calling everybody to come to the hospital immediately. In only a few minutes, his dad made his last farewell.

“It’s sad that he is gone but he was actually suffering so much. It’s sad to see him go but we also feel light about the fact that he is no longer suffering,” said the Lt. Governor, the third and the only one of the seven children who followed their father’s footsteps in public service.

The Lt. Governor, who has been a House speaker thrice prior to his current position, said it was his father who influenced him to enter politics.

His late father was elected and served as commissioner for Susupe for five years.

“We would help him do his work for the community. It was through that experience that I’ve learned to have an interest in public service,” said Benavente.

Benavente describes his father as “the kindest person you’d ever meet.”

His mother, Dolores Tenorio, whom people decribed as “an equally kind, magnanimous person,” died 11 years ago.

They are survived by their children Melvia, Eddie, Diego, Tony, Ronald, Margarita, Melina, several grandchildren, and in-laws.

The family said that a nightly rosary would be held at Mt. Carmel Cathedral beginning at 7:30pm.