Former NMI lieutenant governor Diego Benavente has only weeks to live
BY MARK RABAGO
Saipan Correspondent
AS LITO, Saipan — Doctors told former Lt. Gov. Diego Benavente that he has only weeks, maybe a few months, to live. In August, tests confirmed he has acute leukemia — the more aggressive Philadelphia chromosome-negative type.
The treatment plan laid out for him was daunting: chemotherapy, radiation, spinal injections, and eventually a bone marrow transplant. It would mean long hospital stays in Los Angeles, far away from Saipan, with no guarantee of recovery.
Benavente decided against it.
“I didn’t want to go off on months and months of suffering, maybe not even sure if I would ever come back and live a normal life,” he said. “Some have said to me, quality versus quantity. Quality for me right now is really to stay here in Saipan, be with family and friends, continue to do what I love to do, play golf, go fishing.”
His wife of nearly 50 years, Victoria “Vicky” Benavente, admits the decision was painful but ultimately liberating. “There are moments where I can’t even talk,” she said. “But his positivity, his courage has given me strength. He has always been the calm father; the loving husband; the strict but tender grandfather. He has given me everything I could have ever hoped for in life.”
Former Lt. Gov. Diego Benavente and his wife Victoria "Vicky" Benavente. Photo by Mark Rabago
The couple first met as teenagers at Mount Carmel School. Vicky Benavente had just moved from Guam with her family. “He sat behind me in class,” she remembered. “Every time I looked back, he’d be staring at me. That’s how it started.”
Their children were initially shaken by the diagnosis and pleaded for treatment. But after Benavente promised to get a second opinion in Taiwan, they came to accept his choice. “We all cried together,” he said. “But in the end, they told me, ‘Dad, we just want you to be happy and at peace.’ And that meant the world to me.”
For Benavente, the illness has made family ties feel even more sacred. “Not too many people get the chance to settle things before they go,” he said. “Here I am, able to make sure everything is in order, no additional suffering for my family. That’s another blessing.”
Even as he reflects on his mortality, he finds humor in it. “I told my auntie, ‘When I asked the Lord for another year or two, the Lord looked down and said, ‘What more do you want, Diego? You’ve done so much. You’ve lived a full life.’ And honestly, that’s how I feel.”
As to what he hopes his legacy will be, he said it comes down to appreciation. “It’s amazing, the kind words, the phone calls, the messages I’ve gotten. Just being appreciated, being respected—that’s enough for me.”
Vicky Benavente put it plainly. “His legacy is love of family and love of people. Politics always had to take a back seat to family. But when he was in office, he always asked, ‘Will this help our islands?’ That’s what guided him.”
Benavente’s political journey began in 1987, when he entered his first race mid-campaign and lost by just six votes. Three years later, he won a House seat and went on to serve six terms in the legislature — half of those years as speaker. He recalled those were the boom years, when budgets swelled to more than $200 million, roads were paved across villages, and the commonwealth brimmed with ambition. “We had the resources then, and I was fortunate to be part of it,” he said.
As speaker, Benavente became known for his strong stances. He once shut down a legislative session to block a vote on casino legalization in Saipan, a move he still believes protected the community. “Sometimes you just have to take a stand,” he said.
In 2001, Benavente was elected lieutenant governor alongside Gov. Juan Babauta. Together, they navigated the challenges of federalization, the declining garment industry, and tough debates over labor and wages. As lieutenant governor, he also chaired the Solid Waste Task Force that finally closed the notorious Puerto Rico dump and opened a modern landfill. “People forget how bad it was — the smell, the fires, the pollution in the lagoon,” he said. “That was one of the most important projects we got done.”
Another platform of his time in office was environmental protection. Inspired by regional leaders, he spearheaded the ban on commercial net fishing in the Saipan Lagoon, preserving reef fish stocks for future generations. “It’s still in place today,” he said. “And you can see families casting their rods along Beach Road and catching enough for dinner. That’s why we did it.”
Even after leaving elected office, Benavente remained engaged. He accepted a symbolic $1-a-year contract to advise first the Senate president and now Lt. Gov. Dennis C. Mendiola. “This is our island. My family lives here. My children, my grandchildren. I’ll keep helping as long as I can,” he said.
But he remains blunt about the NMI’s mistakes. “We messed up with the garment industry. We messed up with the casino industry. Tourism should have always been the priority,” he said. “If there’s one regret, it’s that we didn’t save for the rainy day.”
He still loves to fish, still looks forward to derby weekends, still enjoys being on the water. “Catching a fish is a bonus. Even if I don’t catch anything, just being out in the ocean —t hat’s a blessing.”
Benavente says he is ready. “I’ve been so fortunate — in politics, in family, in life. Leaving isn’t such a hard feeling for me. I’m content.” mbj
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