'KILLERS' HOPE
MANILA,
AUGUST 22, 2011 (BULLETIN)
Twenty-eight years ago, Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. returned to Manila to
join the nation's struggle for freedom from a dictatorship, declaring the
Filipino is worth dying for. But the brave Ninoy, a known opposition leader
during the Marcos regime, was shot to death upon landing at the then Manila
International Airpoirt, now named after him.
His martyrdom jolted Filipinos to launch a bloodless revolution that ousted
the Marcos dictatorship and catapulted Ninoy's widow to the presidency in
February, 1986.
Although several soldiers were convicted for the assassination of Ninoy and
later pardoned by the past administration, the mastermind remains unknown and
unpunished.
Today, the martyr's only son and namesake, Benigno S. Aquino III, has taken
charge of a country struggling with corruption and poverty, armed with a
father's advice to live with honor and serve the people well.
The President is still interested in finding out the truth behind the
assassination of his father on August 21, 1983, but taking revenge against his
father's killers is no longer in his vocabulary, according to Palace officials.
Aquino had initially wanted to avenge his father's death but opted instead to
bring justice for victims of abuses and other ills of society. As leader of more
than 90 million Filipinos, he has decided to honor his father's memory by
following his example of sacrificing one's personal interest and comfort for the
greater good. "The members of the Aquino family remain hopeful that one day the
whole truth behind the death of Sen. Ninoy will be revealed," Executive
Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said when asked if the President and his family have
forgiven the perpetrators of such horrendous crime or if they still plan to
revive the case.
"Last year, the President's eldest sister, Ballsy Aquino Cruz, said that
rather than dwell on the painful circumstances surrounding Sen. Ninoy's death,
we should all focus on the positive effects of his martyrdom," Ochoa said.
Ochoa agreed that Filipinos could "do more to honor his memory if we follow
Sen. Ninoy's example and show our love for our countrymen by working hard to
uplift and better their lives."
He said the President is determined the sustain the legacy of his parents of
promoting democracy and preventing a return of authoritarian rule in the
country.
"Senator Ninoy paved the way for the end of authoritarian rule while the late
President, Tita Cory, laid the foundations for democracy by working for the
ratification of our Constitution. The President has said that he has every
intention of upholding their legacy, and his actions in the past year reflect
his commitment to the democratic ideals that his parents cherished," he said.
Aquino, swept into office mainly due to the memory of his much admired
parents, is not inclined to abuse his authority to take legal shortcuts in
finding the truth about the death of his father, according to Undersecretary
Manolo Quezon of the Presidential Development and Strategic Planning Office.
"I think the President and his family made a distinction between what
Christian forgiveness calls for and what justice demands and that they have
always been very careful to ensure it is justice, however, painful and slow it
may be, that takes place without ever having used or abused their access or
authority to give themselves undue advantage," Quezon said.
Asked
if the Aquino family has accepted the conviction of soldiers behind the
senator's tragic death, Quezon said: "I believe they probably have their own
views but they have been careful to give utmost respect to the legal process and
to ensure it is done with much care as with any other case."
Quezon acknowledged that many questions still remain unanswered about the
death of Ninoy in 1983. "It was made clear to the President how much reforms are
required in the legal system that is many ways many questions still remain
unanswered," he said.
Living in exile in the United States with his mother and sisters, a young
Aquino was shocked when he learned about his father's death on television. As
the only son, he was suddenly entrusted the task of taking care of his mother
and siblings.
Like his mother who passed away two years ago, President Aquino also misses
his father, who was said to be a disciplinarian yet generous to children.
"For anyone who lost one of their parents under such circumstances, I think
the pain will never go away. It will remain deep within and a harrowing part of
his life and memory and one where he will always reflect on the meaning of it,"
Quezon said.
Aquino has taken to heart the advice of his father in a letter sent to him
while incarcerated.
"There is no greater nation on earth than our Motherland. No greater people
than our own. Serve them with all your heart, with all your might and with all
your strength," Ninoy wrote to his son from his detention cell in 1975.
These words have guided Noynoy as a public servant through the years.
The President, who appeared content to live in the shadows of his famous
parents, actually shares some qualities with his father, according to Quezon.
"The President has a keen appreciation of the power of the word. Like his
father, he gives great importance to making sure that everything he says is
acceptable to the public," he said.
Asked if the President still harbors ill feelings towards the Marcos family,
Quezon said: "He has been very candid with the process that he has gone through
from great anger and over the way his father was killed, in many ways an
understanding and coming to terms from this became means to liberate the
country."
On the 28th death anniversary of Ninoy today, Ochoa encouraged the public to
emulate the late senator by showing selflessness and love of country not just on
his death anniversary but every day.
Aquino is expected to hold a private commemoration of his father's death
anniversary today. A mass will be held at the senator's tomb at the Manila
Memorial Park in Parañaque City.
The President will also lead the opening of the "Ninoy, My Hero" exhibit
depicting the heroic life of his late father at the SM Megamall Atrium (2nd
Level) at 4 p.m. (With JC Bello Ruiz)
She gave Ninoy 'killers' hope By AARON B.
RECUENCOAugust 21, 2011, 12:30am
Much
has been said and written about the pains and struggles of the soldiers jailed
and convicted over the assassination of former Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
28 years ago. Now this is about the woman who listened, gave hope, and worked
hard to make their wish come true.
"It was on my birthday in 2004 when I received their letter, asking for
help," said lawyer Persida Acosta (photo), chief of the Public Attorney's Office
(PAO), which gives legal assistance to the poor and the needy.
Acosta was referring to the request for legal assistance signed by Ruben
Aquino, Arnulfo Artates, Romeo Bautista, Jesus Castro, Arnulfo de Mesa, Rodolfo
Desolong, Claro Lat, Ernesto Mateo, Filomeno Miranda, Rogelio Moreno, Felizardo
Taran, and Rolando de Guzman.
All of them were among those tried, convicted, and jailed in connection with
what would later become a historical event that also started the downfall of the
dictatorial regime in the country, the assassination of Ninoy, the father and
namesake of the incumbent President.
"They were apparently buoyed by the series of commutation of sentences that
we initiated on some of the convicts, so they asked our help, hoping that I will
be able to do something for them to gain their freedom," said Acosta.
It was a race against time for Acosta and her legal team, noting that the
inmates are already old, some of them are even bedridden and dying.
In fact, she said three of the soldiers convicted in the Aquino assassination
case already died while inside the New Bilibid Prison – Cordova Estelo was
stabbed dead, Mario Lazaga died of stroke, while Luther Custodio succumbed to
heart attack.
In working for the case of the Aquino assassination convicts, Acosta was
quick to clarify that she was not asking too much of what the legal system could
offer as a relief.
"They have already served their sentence so it is but logical for them to be
freed. But the DoJ (Department of Justice) won't act on it during that time,"
said Acosta.
Then the painstaking legal works began – from creating and sending
communications to agencies concerned and working beyond office hours to also
give justice due to the convicted soldiers.
The request for assistance to Acosta was just a try of luck, as the
prevailing fear was that all the convicted soldiers would all die and rot in
jail, what with the sensitivity of the case that they got entangled into.
But in March, 2009, the bright ray of hope shone when Taran and De Guzman
were released from jail after then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo pardoned
them.
A month later, the 10 other convicts also walked their way to freedom over an
executive clemency approved by Arroyo.
"I was happy then, I felt that I did my job well," said Acosta, noting that
she too felt relieved after seeing how happy the inmates and their respective
families were when they all met.
"It is just part of our job. On my part, I was happy because all they wish
for is to spend the few remaining years of their lives with their family, and to
be with their family until their last breath," she added.
But such joy was turned into gloom after De Guzman died of heart attack in
July, or a few months after he was freed.
Ninoy fan
Acosta said as soon as she received the request from the convicted soldiers,
she immediately contacted then senator and now President Aquino to inform him
about the case involving the soldiers.
Aquino, in turn, told everything he knows about the assassination of his
father.
"My intention in working on that case is to give justice to Ninoy Aquino. I
am a big fan of his and I was among those who joined the protest actions in 1986
to seek justice for his assassination," said Acosta.
"I even lost my scholarship at Ateneo Law School for actively participating
in pro-Ninoy protest actions," she added.
Unfinished business
But the search for truth was far from over since all, except one, denied the
accusations hurled against them in the 1983 controversial killing of Ninoy. They
do so until now.
Master Sergeant Pablo Martinez, it was recalled, confessed that he escorted
alleged gunman, Rolando Galman, inside the airport shortly before the arrival of
the plane boarding Aquino.
Martinez, who was granted conditional pardon because of his confession
according to Acosta, even squealed the name of a wealthy businessman as the
mastermind behind the Aquino assassination plot.
The most that she did, according to Acosta, was to file extradition and issue
arrest warrant against Captain Felipe Valerio whom all the freed convicts
pointed as the key player in the killing of Ninoy.
Valerio allegedly fled to the United States in 1986 and has been unaccounted
for since then.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
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