The name seems familiar? That’s right, because in his lifetime, he was both famous and notorious. The checkered life of Benjamin Aggentein met its bloody end early Friday evening along Causeway Drive, in sitio Ubos, Poblacion 1, this city, when a gunman pumped bullets, plenty of bullets, into his body as if to make sure that he was dead. A German national, he engaged in dubious real estate transactions making him a notorious character in the Dauis-Panglao area. For what else do you call a person who was a “hao siao housing developer” while at the same time claiming as an honorary consul to a destitute country like Sierra Leone in South Africa? Not only that. Because of his racket, he has created so many enemies that for sure investigators will have a hard time piecing together all the puzzles leading to his murder. Aggenstein whose real name was Benajamin Manuel Aggensteiner was shot dead by two unidentified suspects who trailed behind him while he was driving his motorcycle on his way to Dauis town where he was last known to have found his domicile.

Witnesses said the triggerman, after hitting Aggenstein on his body, dismounted from the motorcycle and casually walked to the lying body of the victim and pumped one more bullet into his head to ensure the victim won’t survive. Aggenstein’s partner, a certain Cherry, also sustained a bullet shot on her right leg but she survived the early evening mayhem that shattered the peaceful landscape of Poblacion Uno residents who are still reeling from reports of sinkhole debacle right in the aftermath of the Oct. 15 killer quake that struck Bohol. The woman apparently was not part of the assassination plot as she was not pursued by the suspects after they executed the German national. A tricycle driver who personally witnessed the shooting but refused to be named told the Post that the killing could have been the handiwork of professional gun-for-hire individuals because, according to the source, “kalma ug walay kaba nga mipusil ug mibiya sa Causeway.” “The triggerman was not even wearing a helmet to cover his face,” the tricycle driver said, speaking in Bisaya, “but he was wearing a black jacket.”

According to a police source, Aggenstein was spotted at Bohol Quality Mall early Friday evening. Together with his live-in partner, one of the many known by the public, the German national drove his way to Dauis town via the dimly lit Causeway road. Without the victim knowing, Aggenstein must have been monitored for days or even weeks before he was finally cornered, taking advantage of the pervasive darkness that has been engulfing the city since super typhoon Yolanda slammed the Visayas regions, including Bohol, on Nov. 8, sources said.

PERSONA NON GRATA

As the news of Aggenstein’s murder was making round in social media websites, netizens who have been aware of the victim’s real estate racket seemed to have heaved a sigh of relief and even expressed subtle approval to the killing. “That was the right justice,” said a Boholano based in Europe in his comment on Facebook. Aggenstein’s string cases of estafa, harassment, and real estate scam had been overtaken by twin events, the Oct. 15 earthquake in Bohol and the Nov. 8 Yolanda onslaught. But weeks before these tragic events that have affected Bohol Province, Aggenstein was declared “persona non grata” through a unanimous resolution passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Bohol. The resolution was an offshoot of Aggenstein’s pending investigation before the lawmaking-body of the province where at one time he was asked to appear in a hearing to answer several complaints and allegations by residents in Dauis and Panglao regarding the business dealing of Aggenstein and his relationship toward the local community. Complainants had been expecting that following the persona non grata declaration Aggenstein would be deported back to wherever he came from, but the victim was still seen in the streets of Tagbilaran and at times at the sea port en route to Cebu. The Provincial Government of Bohol had earlier requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Immigration in Manila, and the Department of Foreign Affairs to look into the background of Aggenstein who claimed to be an honorary consul of Sierra Leone, a war-ravaged country in the far-flung West Africa. The DFA had confirmed that Aggenstein was not listed as honorary consul of any country nor was he recognized by the DFA as a foreign diplomat. Before he was murdered, Aggenstein used the title of honorary consul as his defense for whatever decision he made, and in earlier press interviews, he said he enjoyed immunity from all civil and criminal suits and that he was entitled utmost respect owing to his purported diplomat status.

INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY

Gov. Edgar M. Chatto has tasked Romy Tagaan as the point-man in the investigation into the murder of Aggenstein. Chatto said Tagaan would be coordinating with the German Embassy in Manila so that Aggenstein’s body, now lying at the Holy Name Funeral Homes, would be flown to wherever he came from. Provincial Administrator Ae Damalerio, speaking in behalf of Chatto, said the Provincial Government was saddened upon hearing of the crime that involved one of its visitors. “We do not condone any form of violence involving either our own people or any foreign visitors here,” Damalerio said in a phone interview. Although Aggenstein had conflicts his business partners and real estate clients, we believe that violence is not the way to attain solution to misunderstanding,” he said. He hopes that the murder of Aggenstein, being an isolated one, would not discourage foreigners to come here and stay in the province since Bohol has been known for its peaceful environment and non-violent atmosphere. “We wish to assure all tourists and foreign visitors that Bohol is a safe place,” Damalerio said, “and what happened to Aggenstein is an isolated crime.

CITY INVESTIGATION

City Administrator Edi Borja, quoting statement of City Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap, said that City Hall would conduct a full-blown investigation into the killing of Aggenstein. Borja said the City condemns the killing as it may send a wrong signal to our tourists and visitors to the province. He also said that Aggenstein’s murder is an isolated one considering that he was a high-profile person who was in conflict with the law and with several of his business partners in real estate ventures. Borja said the City would further tighten the security measures in the City especially now that blackouts continue to disrupt the lives of city residents, and it is expected that the darkness would still be here in the coming months.