March 29, 2024

I was lying in my hospital bed thinking of my own endangered mortality – free of Covid-19 but not of dengue, when I got a text: Friends, family, uncle Benny Carantes has gone to the happy hunting grounds.
I saw him last week or two ago at Luisa’s Café and could not believe it.
As a toddler, he kept reminding me and everyone within earful, that he was my yayo who took care of me at New Lucban or at Pines Theatre while my father, Art, was at work, hence now you know where my naughtiness and crazy disposition came from.
Benedicto Torralba Carantes, son of a great Ibaloy lived his life to the fullest. He was born and raised in Baguio and cast his future under the tutelage of priests. He wanted to become a lawyer because he thought it was the profession of the wise (or the prostitutes) and probably discovered early on that any fool given a bit of luck can become one.
Worse, they even become congressmen or deans of Law schools (me at Saint Louis University, him at the University of Baguio.) He went to Law school at SLU and began a colorful career as a practitioner.
Earlier on, he studied at the University of the Philippines-Diliman where he joined the UP Sigma Rho Fraternity rubbing elbows with Edja (Ed Angara), Boy Reyno, Juan Ponce Enrile and even our common friend Roquito Ablan. Along the way, he met manang Minda and fell head over heels in love with her. Together, they established their family amidst the sunflowers at New Lucban with their wonderful children.
Aside from his reputation as a gentleman of leisure, he was a deeply sensitive, warm, intelligent, and forgiving human being. He laughed a lot but kept the pain of downfall or frustrations to himself. Sometimes he was misunderstood by his own brethren but that’s how lawyers are, they bite each other’s asses and have a culture of apal nga dakes. He would often say he never understood that gibberish could be mistaken for logic, a glib tongue for brains, and connections in higher places for success.
Benny was one of our staunch believers and supporter in politics like our mutual friend Rolly Bautista and during the last campaign, he stood by me no matter what or who was pressuring him. Saanac imbati. Walang iwanan and I am forever in debt. At his son’s wedding at the BCC, I was the only privileged one he chose to invite among the political mammals he knew, a complement of friendship borne of love, respect, and loyalty.
He too ran not for a seat in the council but as vice mayor to Jun Labo under the KBL party but his overly generous habit and the voters’ fickle-mindedness put an end to this dream. When he was turned down, forgiving as he was, he never blamed the voters for their shortsightedness. The electorate did not know they would have had the best vice mayor then – our loss not yours, manong.
He then joined the Justice Department and retired as chief city prosecutor. After his retirement, he stayed in Mankayan, Benguet as legal consultant of Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company. He was an original of the Free Legal Assistance Group and was passionate in his membership with the Baguio Apaches, the oldest group of Baguio born and bred men.
Whenever we got together at various cañaos, parties, meetings or plain Dainty coffee, he was the principal story teller on all matters, trivial or not. He was contemptuous of people pretending to be brilliant or those who try to put one over another.
Oftentimes, he lacked tact but he never lacked wit. He was never patronizing and he had a way of regaling his audience with his stories and escapades. He had a flair for language, probably premised on the belief that bad grammar and poor diction were indications of weakness. He took his job as fiscal with his feet squarely placed on the ground. There never was any instance when one would fear bias or injustice in his decisions because he was what he was.
Like all of us here on Earth, Benny was not perfect and had his frailties and weaknesses – sabong, casino, good food, and whisky but he was a good man. He believed in the pristine biblical teaching, Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens; a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
With his passing, he will surely be missed by all of us. But I have not really lost a friend and outspoken supporter for as he goes to enter the pearly gates of heaven to enter his appearance before the Supreme Being, he bears with him a petition from all of us here for a healthier world and end to the pandemic that has made us suffer for two years now.
Knowing him he will seize the opportunity to be of further service by acting as our celestial defender and if it won’t work, then he could hand over an envelope to the gatekeeper.
As we share our burden of grief with manang Alice and manong Victor, the children, and the entire Carantes clan, let us take comfort in the thought that from now on we can count on him as our advocate in the heavens above.
So, manong Benny, I know you are in a peaceful, safe, and happy place, but don’t call any of us here to join you for watwat even if you need someone to laugh at your old jokes. You can call my papa Art to do that. I still have a few things up my sleeves.
Life seems to be getting harder for us mortals, but as you would say: “Enjoy life.”
Hasta la vista. Requiescat in pace Benny Carantes.
Sigh.