Benjamin Vargas Mendez

[Joe Knapp]

Conference Treasurer, Benjamin [ben ha min]  Mendez. Was murdered on Friday as he was entering the conference office building.

The whole Adventist church in the Philippines is in shock. 

 

https://metrocdodev.com/2025/11/07/crime-watch-sda-church-treasurer-shot-dead-in-cdo-suspect-surrenders-to-cidg-as-ncmc-releases-statement/

 

Chosen Gem [mothers maiden name] Abesta, 37, allegedly shot Benjamin Vargas Mendez, 65, with a .45 caliber pistol [12 shots] inside the SDA North Central Mindanao Conference compound in Puntod, Cagayan de Oro City, on November 6, 2025.

This is a gated parking lot and building with guards. SOP at all conference offices. It is being reported that Abesta was banned from the area and should have been stopped by the guards. 

After the incident, Abesta initially fled but surrendered later to the CIDG-10 headquarters in Camp Evangelista [military camp] and turned over the firearm. Police said the shooting may have been fueled by a personal grudge, following prior disputes between the two. [ a familiar story in the Philippines]  This is the most accurate report on the murder. 

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Abesta was known to the guards and everyone in the building.  He was working in a district of many churches. He was pastoring as an intern for three years. An Intern in PH is someone who was hired to be a pastor, but is in a probationary period. During this time, he must prove himself. That includes providing evangelistic meetings and baptisms. It is a time of high stress for some pastors.  Although in Mindanao, the baptism rate is higher and easier. There are fewer obstacles. Interns cannot perform legal duties like marriage or baptisms.   It is the job of the intern/Pastor to collect the tithes and deposit them in the conference bank account. There may have been a problem there. It may come out in a trail if he does not plead guilty. Most likely, in situations like this, they plead guilty. He was terminated prior to this event.  Sir Mendez was scheduled to retire next month. 

The culture on the island of Mindanao is one of violence. For decades there has been a big problem there. Family feuds are common.  Many people have guns in their homes. Because of the LARGE open sea to the south, it is impossible to prevent weapons from entering by small boats. I could talk for a long time about this culture of violence. 

My wife and I met Sir Mendez and his wife 21 years ago, while we were doing an Evangelism meeting in North Eastern Mindanao. He was the treasurer of that mission at the time. He had two small children then. There was violence while we were there, and the meetings were held in a guarded college building. We were forbidden from visiting interests. 320 were baptized in that program.  On the way back to the ship to leave the island, we had to pass a military check post. They had a 50 caliber machine gun. It was VERY big. 

Often, life in the Philippines is very hard. The violence can be devastating. Often it seems senseless. 

We are all very sad.