SAN DIEGO, California – Students say Professor Henry Acejo was more than a Linguistics teacher.
Acejo played a big role in the Filipino community throughout many San Diego campuses. They said he dedicated his life and work to his family in the Philippines and to his students in the US.
Acejo once held office at the University of California in San Diego. He was found stabbed to death in his Tijuana apartment on December 18. Police said they have not yet found a motive or suspects.
Friends said, even though his siblings know, Acejo’s 85- year-old mother still does not know about her son’s death. Students and friends said they only heard about the news last week. The news of Acejo’s death has left students throughout San Diego in shock.
Joseph Ramirez recalled, “He really cared about the students work. Not just how they were doing in school but how their personal life was.”
“He always brings smiles to everyone’s faces. Just with the way he teaches, it’s always fun,” added another former student, Mark Yu.
A former elementary school and college teacher in the Philippines, Acejo migrated to the US in the mid-90s where he began teaching language classes at several San Diego colleges.
Friends said despite reports that he taught at three schools, Acejo also taught Tagalog at UC San Diego as well as a local community college.
His friend Ernald Macaraeg helped start the memorial Facebook site, and has been helping the family by collecting donations. He’s also helping other friends and teachers tie up some loose ends left behind by Acejo’s untimely death.
Macaraeg said the only relatives he knew in the US are in Florida. The rest of his family are mostly in San Mateo, Rizal. The hard working Acejo sent at least a US$1,000 monthly.
Acejo lived in Tijuana because the cheap rent allowed him to send more money to the Philippines. Acejo’s friends were worried by his choice to live in Tijuana with its high crime rate.
“People brought that up with him and told him. But I guess he wanted to live there. He said it was pretty safe. It’s a gated community where he lives,” explained Macaraeg
Macaraeg said the Filipino community is growing impatient with Mexican police over progress in the case.
Students at UC San Diego say they will make a push for the school to honor Acejo, whom they credit with helping build Filipino culture programs in the school during his 3-year stay as a part-time staff and substitute.
Two schools where Acejo was scheduled to teach at this year, San Diego State University and Southwestern College, have been collecting funds from friends and former students. The funds are being sent to Acejo’s sister in Hong Kong to offset the costs of shipping his body to the Philippines, and for funeral services.
Acejo’s body is expected to be flown back to the Philippines by the end of the week.
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