When news came that he had died at dawn yesterday, almost everyone reacted the same: as if it were a bad joke.
"Was he killed?" was the million-dollar question.
No. He suffered a heart attack.
His young widow, Ruzzeell Fabian-Villa, said Benjie rose from his sleep at 3 a.m. yesterday, and only five minutes later suffered a seizure and stopped breathing.
"Nung 3:05 a.m., wala na talaga (At 3:05 a.m., it was all over)," said Ruzzeell. "Benjie was not breathing anymore."
Benjie, 31, showed no signs of ill health or discomfort prior to that, said Ruzzeell.
On Monday, Benjie reported his body temperature was a little high, but he brushed it aside as a simple flu.
Ruzzeell said Benjie had taken medicine to combat the flu.
"Nung Tuesday, okay naman na at nag-work pa siya (On Tuesday, he was already okay, and even went to work)," she said.
Benjie, who is also Tarlac provincial public information officer, even filed three stories for The STAR on Tuesday, according to copy monitor Ronnie Ramos, who was startled by the news of Benjie’s death.
Benjie was taken to the hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival. The findings: cardio respiratory arrest.
Breaking into tears, Ruzzeell said Benjie was a good husband.
"He was a good provider," she said. "Nabigla kami dahil hindi naman siya nagkakasakit (We were shocked because he never got sick)."
Their two young children do not yet know that their father is gone, she added.
Both named after Benjie, three-year-old Airus Jed Benjamin and one- year-old Ian Anthony Benjamin might still be oblivious to what happened to their father.
Ruzzeell said it might take several months or even years before the painful loss of Benjie is fully understood by them.
"He was a good father to them," she said.
Everyone at his workplace and in media circles knew Benjie to be a very caring father — shunning the usual weekend parties of journalists in Tarlac so he could be with his children at home.
"Mag-aalaga pa ako ng baby, brod (Brod, I still have to baby-sit my kids)," was his usual reply when jeered about missing a drinking session.
"He was super bait (He was super good)," Ruzzeell said as though whispering to Benjie.
A journalism graduate of Tarlac State University in 1996, Benjie was a student activist during his college days and a member of the Pi Sigma Fraternity.
Every Pi Sigma Fraternity member who learned about Benjie’s death broke into tears (including this writer, also Benjie’s brod).
Benjie’s first job in mainstream journalism was at the Philippine Daily Inquirer before joining The STAR five years ago.
Benjie also wrote for the Northern Philippines Gazette as Tarlac bureau chief, while working for the Public Information Office of Tarlac province.
Benjie also helped organize the Tarlac chapter of the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP).
Last year, Benjie was voted president of the Northern Luzon Command Defense Press Corps.
Two days ago, Lt. Col. Preme Monta, NOLCOM spokesman, said he planned to reorganize and revitalize the NOLCOM Defense Press Corps with Benjie still at the helm.
The passing of Benjie, a "brother-in-arms, and in pen," is a great loss to us all.