As Filipinos enjoy a long weekend holiday, they also commemorate the 40th death anniversary of the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. — the man who sparked the country’s fight for the restoration of democracy.
According to the Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation, the late politician’s martyrdom will be commemorated through a mass on Monday, Aug. 21, at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City.
The mass will be celebrated by the Most Reverend Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan Socrates B. Villegas.
Aside from the family of the late senator, former House Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada, and Randy delos Santos, an uncle of Kian delos Santos will also join the mass.
Aquino, the husband of the late president Corazon Aquino, is best known as a senator and a critic of the previous Marcos administration. His assassination in 1983 ignited the flame inside the Filipinos' hearts and moved them to topple a dictatorship through the EDSA People Power Revolution two years after his demise.
Ninoy was born on November 27, 1932 in Concepcion, Tarlac to a prominent family. He married the former Corazon 'Cory' Cojuangco in 1954 and raised five kids together, including former President Benigno Aquino III and media personality Kris Aquino.
He was the youngest war correspondent to cover the Korean War for the Manila Times at the age of 17, the youngest mayor of his hometown at the age of 22, and the youngest senator at the age of 34.
Aquino was one of the first to be arrested and imprisoned for trumped-up charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms, and subversion when martial law was declared. He was allowed to run in the 1978 elections.
Ninoy suffered two heart attacks in 1980, one from his solitary cell and another at the Philippine Heart Center. Tests showed that he had a blocked artery but preferred to go to the United States for the procedure. This was arranged by Imelda Marcos.
His surgery went well and he recovered very quickly. He, Cory, and their children started a new life in Massachusetts. They eventually returned to the Philippines but unfortunately met his death upon his return.
However, while many Filipinos consider Ninoy as the catalyst of democracy, there are still those who think otherwise. One of them is Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Larry Gadon, a known Marcos supporter.
“Kung tuwing Kwaresma o Mahal na Araw ay inaalala natin si Hudas na nagtraydor kay Jesus, eh ganoon din ang August 21 (If we remember Judas who betrayed Jesus every Holy Week, the same goes for August 21),” he said in a Facebook video.
Gadon claimed that Ninoy was in alliance with the communists and that he even had a hand in the Plaza Miranda bombing. He likewise blamed the rising prices of water and electricity to Aquino's death, as he alleged that this paved the way to public utilities falling into the hands of private businesses.
“‘Yan ang kasagutan kung bakit natin inaalala ito— hindi para magbigay-pugay kung hindi upang tayo ay matuto (That’s why we continue to commemorate it— not to honor him but so we could learn),” he said.