Jess Laid to Rest

MORE than 1,000 friends and family attended the funeral of Jesus “Jess” Bebita in the Philippines on Saturday, more than a month after he was murdered in Scone.

His childhood friend, Elden Fuentes, said it was unusual to have so many people at a funeral and his friends and family were still in shock.

“They are still in a state of denial, they can not accept the reality that Jess has gone,” said Mr Fuentes.

“The parish priest said he had not seen a funeral as big,” he said.

“I would like to say thank you to all of the people in Australia, all his friends, the company (JBS) he was employed by, I believed they also helped to bring his body home,” he said.

The family are also struggling to understand why Jess was murdered and worry that Jess will have justice in a legal system which is different to the Philippines.

“They were asking to see the perpetrator, but the law in Australia is very much different than in the Philippines and they are not allowed to see the suspect in the gaol,” he said.

“They are afraid the perpetrator will not be penalised,” Elden Fuentes said.

Related stories:

• Jess Remembered – December 21, 2019.
• Murder Matter Adjourned – December 19, 2018.
• Man Charged with Murder – December 19, 2018.
• Police Confirm Murder Investigation – December 18, 2018.
• Suspicious Death in Scone– December 18, 2018.
• Police Confirm Murder Investigation.– December 18, 2018.
• Police Investigate: Body Found in Scone.– December 18, 2018.