Ben Tumbling

A resident of Malabon, he derived his nickname Ben Tumbling from his job before as a stuntman. His skill later helped him to evade policemen trying to arrest him.[1]

His hatred of the police was said to be started when he experienced torture at the hands of the police during his younger years after he was charged of a crime allegedly he didn't commit. However, reports stated that it intensified when some of the policemen raped his wife.[1][3][4]

His involvement in crimes such as robbery, carjacking, and drug trafficking, and the killings of seven policemen[4] within months due to personal motives, led to the police to tag him in their wanted list.[1][3][5] Being a subject by manhunt operations by the Philippine Constabulary for about a year, he was once caught by the forces from the then Western Police District (WPD) led by Lt. Ernesto Diokno.[5]

He achieved his popularity, especially from the poor locals who shared the profits from his criminal activities, the reason why he was regarded as a hero. It was evident when thousands of them attended his wake after his death.[1][3]

Tumbling was killed in a shootout with the police operatives reportedly led by then Intelligence Chief, Col. Vicente Vinarao,[5] in Manila in the early morning of March 13, 1981.[1][2]

Retired police officer, former Lt. Edgar Gimao, one of those claiming the one who killed Tumbling, recounted the events in an interview by the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 2000. According to him, he saw Tumbling inside an open barangay hall near Rizal Avenue during surveillance. The four-man team later regrouped at a nearby hotel, boarded a taxi, and headed straight to the hall wherein a brief shootout ensued inside. He shot Tumbling to death while being injured along with Maj. Romeo Clavio,[6] while Insp. Reynaldo "Boy" Chico unsuccessfully fired his gun, and another did nothing. Vinarao though was not mentioned in Gimao's testimony.[2]

Then First Lady and Metro Manila governor Imelda Marcos awarded medal of efficiency to the four who were also given spot promotion, while then WPD chief Narciso Cabrera and other officials received honors as well.[2]

Gimao said that his former colleagues at the WPD made false claims that Chico, not him, supposedly killed Tumbling.[2] Chico was portrayed in a 1997 biographical film,[6] and by the time of Gimao's interview, was involved in a shooting incident in Manila.[7] Clavio had also been reported as the one who did.[6]

• Portrayed by Lito Lapid in a 1985 film, Ben Tumbling: A People's Journal Story.[1]
• Portrayed by Jess Lapid Jr. in a 1992 Manila Film Festival entry, Cordora: Lulutang Ka sa Sarili Mong Dugo.[8]
• In a controversial 1997 film Boy Chico (Hulihin si Ben Tumbling)[6] by Viva Films, Ben was portrayed by Ace Espinosa; Chico, by Joko Diaz.[2]
• Another life story about him was featured in a 2012 film, Alyas Ben Tumbling.[4]
• Featured in History with Lourd in 2014.