Ninoy Aquino | |
|---|---|
 Aquino,c. 1980s | |
| Senator of the Philippines | |
| In office December 30, 1967 – September 23, 1972[a] | |
| 18th Governor of Tarlac | |
| In office February 17, 1961 – December 30, 1967 | |
| Vice Governor | Lazaro Domingo |
| Preceded by | Arsenio Lugay |
| Succeeded by | Danding Cojuangco |
| Vice Governor ofTarlac | |
| In office December 30, 1959 – February 15, 1961 | |
| Governor | Arsenio Lugay |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Lazaro Domingo |
| Mayor ofConcepcion, Tarlac | |
| In office December 30, 1955 – December 30, 1959 | |
| Preceded by | Nicolas Feliciano |
| Succeeded by | Romeo Yumul |
| Presidential Adviser on Defense Affairs | |
| In office 1949–1954 | |
| President | Elpidio Quirino Ramon Magsaysay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Benigno Simeón Aquino Jr. (1932-11-27)November 27, 1932 |
| Died | August 21, 1983(1983-08-21) (aged 50) Manila International Airport,Parañaque, Philippines |
| Manner of death | Assassination |
| Resting place | Manila Memorial Park – Sucat,Parañaque, Philippines |
| Party | Laban (1978–1983) Liberal (1959–1983) |
| Other political affiliations | Nacionalista (1955–1959) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, includingBenigno III / "Noynoy" andKris |
| Parent(s) | Benigno Aquino Sr. Aurora Aquino |
| Relatives | Aquino family |
| Alma mater | Ateneo de Manila University University of the Philippines Diliman |
| Occupation |
|
| Signature |  |
| Website | www |
| Nickname | Ninoy |
Benigno Simeón "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.QSC,CLH,KGCR[1][2][3][4] (/əˈkiːnoʊ/,locally[bɛˌniːɡ.noʔɐˈxiː.no]; November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983), was a Filipino politician and journalist who served as asenator of the Philippines (1967–1972) and governor of the province ofTarlac (1963–1967). Aquino was the husband ofCorazon Aquino, who became the 11thpresident of the Philippines afterhis assassination, and father ofBenigno Aquino III, who became the 15th president of the Philippines. Aquino, together withGerry Roxas andJovito R. Salonga, helped form the leadership of theLiberal Party-based coalition against ex-PresidentFerdinand Marcos. Aquino was a significant emotional leader, who, together with the intellectual leaderSen. Jose W. Diokno, led the overall opposition.
Early in his Senate career, Aquino vigorously attempted to investigate theJabidah massacre in March 1968.[5] Shortly after the imposition ofmartial law in 1972, Aquino was arrested along with other members of the opposition. He was incarcerated for seven years. He has been described as Marcos' "most famouspolitical prisoner".[6] He founded his own party,Lakas ng Bayan, and ran in the1978 Philippine parliamentary election, but all the party's candidates lost in the election. In 1980, he was permitted by Marcos and his wifeImelda to travel to the United States for medical treatment following a heart attack. During the early 1980s, he became one of the most notable critics of the Marcos regime, and enjoyed popularity across the US due to the numerous rallies he attended at the time.
As the situation in the Philippines worsened, Aquino decided to return to face Marcos and restore democracy in the country, despite numerous threats against him. He wasassassinated at the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983, upon returning from his self-imposed exile. His death revitalized opposition to Marcos; it also catapulted his widow, Corazon, into the political limelight and prompted her to successfully run for a six-year term as president as a member of theUnited Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) party in the1986 snap election.
Among other public structures, Manila International Airport has since been renamedNinoy Aquino International Airport in his honor, and theanniversary of his death is a national holiday. Aquino has also been listed as aMotu Proprio human rights violations victim of the Martial Law era.[7]
Benigno Simeón Aquino Jr. was born inConcepcion, Tarlac on November 27, 1932, toBenigno Aquino Sr., who was then a senator from the3rd district andSenate majority leader, and Aurora (née Aquino) Aquino[8][9] from a prosperous family ofhacienderos, the original owners of Hacienda Tinang.[10]
His grandfather,Servillano Aquino, was a general in the revolutionary army ofEmilio Aguinaldo, the officially recognized firstPresident of the Philippines.[11]
He received his elementary education at the basic education department ofDe La Salle College and finished at the basic education department ofSaint Joseph's College of Quezon City. He then graduated at the high school department ofSan Beda College. Aquino took his tertiary education atAteneo de Manila University to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree, but he interrupted his studies.[12] According to one of his biographies, he considered himself to be an average student; his grade was not in the line of 90s nor did it fall into the 70s. At the age of 17, he was the youngest war correspondent to cover theKorean War forThe Manila Times ofDonJoaquín "Chino" Roces. Because of his journalistic feats, he received the Philippine Legion of Honor award from PresidentElpidio Quirino when aged 18. At 21, he became a close adviser to thenDefense SecretaryRamon Magsaysay. Aquino took up law at theUniversity of the Philippines Diliman, where he became a member ofUpsilon Sigma Phi, the same fraternity asFerdinand Marcos. He interrupted his studies again however to pursue a career in journalism. According toMáximo Soliven, Aquino "later 'explained' that he had decided to go to as many schools as possible, so that he could make as many new friends as possible."[12] In early 1954, he was appointed by PresidentRamon Magsaysay, his wedding sponsor to his 1953 wedding at the Our Lady of Sorrows Church inPasay with Corazon Cojuangco, to act as personal emissary toLuis Taruc, leader of theHukbalahap rebel group. After four months of negotiations, he was credited for Taruc's unconditional surrender[13] and was given a second Philippine Legion of Honor award with the degree of Commander on October 14, 1954.[14]
Aquino gained an early familiarity with Philippine politics, as he was born into one of the Philippines' political and landholding clans. His grandfather served under President Aguinaldo, and his father held office under PresidentsQuezon andJose P. Laurel. As a consequence, he became mayor of Concepcion in 1955 at the age of 23.[15] However, defeated candidate Nicolas Y. Feliciano institutedquo warranto proceedings against Aquino for being underaged at the time of his election. The Supreme Court would affirm the lower court's ruling unseating Aquino from his position.[16]
He would later return to the political scene, being elected the nation's youngest vice governor at 27 (the record was later surpassed byBongbong Marcos at 22 in1980). Two years later, when his predecessor resigned, he becamegovernor of Tarlac province in 1961, being elected to the position in his own right in 1963. While initially aNationalista, same as his father, he would jump to theLiberal Party following the election of PresidentDiosdado Macapagal.[17]. He would later become the party's secretary-general in 1966.
In 1968, during his first year as senator, Aquino alleged that Marcos was on the road to establishing "a garrison state" by "ballooning the armed forces budget," saddling the defense establishment with "overstaying generals" and "militarizing our civilian government offices."[18][19]
Aquino became known as a constant critic of the Marcos regime, as his flamboyant rhetoric had made him a darling of the media. His most polemical speech, "A Pantheon for Imelda", was delivered on February 10, 1969. He assailed theCultural Center, the first project of First LadyImelda Marcos as extravagant, and dubbed it "a monument to shame" and labelled its designer "a megalomaniac, with a penchant to captivate". By the end of the day, the country's broadsheets had blared that he labelled the President's wife, his cousin Paz's former ward, and a woman he had once courted, "the Philippines'Eva Peron". President Marcos is said to have been outraged and labelled Aquino "a congenital liar". The First Lady's friends angrily accused Aquino of being "ungallant". These so-called "fiscalization" tactics of Aquino quickly became his trademark in the Senate.[20][19]
Aquino would also uncover details regarding theJabidah Massacre and would link it as a plan by Marcos to ensure his grip on power, delivering a scathing privilege speech on the Senate floor on March 28, 1968.[21]
It was not until thePlaza Miranda bombing on August 21, 1971, that the pattern of direct confrontation between Marcos and Aquino emerged. At 9:15 pm, at the kick-off rally of the Liberal Party, the candidates formed a line on a makeshift platform and were raising their hands as the crowd applauded. The band played, a fireworks display drew all eyes, when suddenly two loud explosions obviously were not part of the show. In an instant, the stage became a scene of wild carnage. The police later discovered two fragmentation grenades that had been thrown at the stage by "unknown persons". Eight people died, and 120 others were wounded, many critically.
Aquino, elected senator in 1967, was not a candidate in the 1971 midterm election hence was not in Plaza Miranda, but his absence caused some to assume that Aquino's friends in theNew People's Army (NPA) tipped him off in advance.[22] Unnamed sources accused Aquino of being involved. No one has ever been prosecuted for the attack.[23] Many historians continue to suspect Marcos as the culprit behind the incident, as he is known to have usedfalse flag attacks as a pretext for his declaration of martial law at that time.[24][25] Historian Joseph Scalice, however, has argued that while the Marcos government was allied with thePartido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP) in carrying out bombings in the early 1970s,[26] "the evidence of history now overwhelmingly suggests that theCommunist Party of the Philippines, despite being allied with the Liberal Party, was responsible for this bombing, seeing it as a means of facilitating repression which they argued would hasten revolution."[27]
Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, throughProclamation No. 1081[28] and went on air to broadcast his declaration on the midnight of September 23.[29] Aquino and Sen. Diokno were two of the first to be arrested, and were imprisoned inFort Bonifacio on trumped-up charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms and subversion. Aquino was tried before Military Commission No. 2, headed by Major-General Jose Syjuco and moved to the Codenamed "Alpha" Room atFort Magsaysay inLaur, Nueva Ecija.
On April 4, 1975, Aquino announced that he was going on a hunger strike, a fast to the death to protest the injustices of his military trial. Ten days through his hunger strike, he instructed his lawyers to withdraw all the motions he had submitted to the Supreme Court. As weeks went by, he subsisted solely on salt tablets, sodium bicarbonate, amino acids and two glasses of water a day. Even as he grew weaker, suffering from chills and cramps, soldiers forcibly dragged him to the military tribunal's session. His family and hundreds of friends and supporters heard Mass nightly at theSantuario de San Jose inGreenhills, San Juan, praying for his survival. Near the end, Aquino's weight dropped from 54 to 36 kilograms. Aquino nonetheless was able to walk throughout his ordeal. On May 13, 1975, on the 40th day, his family and several priests and friends, begged him to end his fast, pointing out that even Christ fasted only for 40 days.[30] He acquiesced, confident that he had made a symbolic gesture.
He, however, remained in prison, and the trial continued, drawn out for several years. Throughout the trial, Aquino said that the military tribunal had no authority over his and his co-accused cases.[12] On November 25, 1977, the Military Commission found Aquino, along withNPA leadersBernabe Buscayno (Kumander Dante) and Lt.Victor Corpus, guilty of all charges and sentenced them to death by firing squad.[31][32] Marcos commuted their death sentence[33] due to international pressure over his government's human rights record.[34][35]
In 1978, from his prison cell, Aquino was allowed to run in the1978 Philippine parliamentary election. As Ninoy's Liberal Party colleagues were boycotting the election, he formed theLakas ng Bayan, an umbrella coalition of opposition parties and individuals. The party had 21 candidates for the Region IV-A (Metro Manila) area, including Ninoy himself. While initially agreeing to the boycott due to "the government already [having] the forces in its command and the entire machinery of politics which [they] do not have," Aquino later changed his mind and opted to take part in the elections to have the chance to "talk to the people," having been imprisoned for almost six years at that point.[36]
On March 10, 1978, he was entitled to one television interview onGTV'sFace the Nation, hosted byRonnie Nathanielsz with panelists Enrique Romualdez of theDaily Express, Reynaldo Naval of theTimes Journal and Teddy Owen ofBulletin Today. The interview proved to a startled and impressed populace that imprisonment had neither dulled his "rapier-like tongue" nor dampened his fighting spirit.[37] According to Aquino, he wanted to give the people a vehicle to express their frustration or their anger and to serve as a fiscalizer in theInterim Batasang Pambansa. He further justified his candidacy in Metro Manila instead of his home province ofTarlac as to submerge his popularity, with a victory meaning that the opposition of win, instead of himself just winning.[36] However, all of the party's candidates lost the election, with Aquino being the best-performing opposition candidate, ranking 22nd in the 21-seat at-large contest.[38]
In mid-March 1980, Aquino suffered a heart attack, mostly in a solitary cell. He was transported to thePhilippine Heart Center, where he suffered a second heart attack.ECG and other tests showed that he had a blocked artery. Philippine surgeons were reluctant to do acoronary bypass, because it could involve them in a controversy. In addition, Aquino refused to submit himself to Philippine doctors, fearing possible Marcos "duplicity"; he preferred to go to the United States for the procedure or return to his cell at Fort Bonifacio and die.
His request was granted and Ninoy was allowed to go to the United States for surgery, together with his entire family. This was arranged after a secret hospital visit by Imelda Marcos. This "emergency leave" was set up when Ninoy supposedly agreed to the conditions that, first, he will return, and second, he will not speak out against Marcos in the US. Ninoy was operated on by Rolando M. Solis, a Filipino American and the longest-practicing cardiologist inDallas,Texas, where the operation took place. After the surgery, Ninoy made a quick recovery, after which he decided to renounce the agreement, saying, "a pact with the devil is no pact at all".[39]
He, Cory and their children started a new life in Massachusetts. He continued to work on two books and gave a series of lectures while on fellowship grants fromHarvard University andMassachusetts Institute of Technology. His travels across the US had become opportunities for him to deliver speeches critical of the Marcos government, going as far asDamascus in order to meet with Muslims and theMNLF in order to mediate in theMoro conflict.[40][41] Throughout his years of expatriation, Aquino was always aware that his life in the U.S. was temporary. He never stopped affirming his eventual return even as he enjoyed American hospitality and a peaceful life with his family on American soil. After spending seven years and seven months in prison, Aquino's finances were in ruins. Making up for the lost time as the family's breadwinner, he toured America; attending symposiums, lectures, and giving speeches in freedom rallies opposing the Marcos government. The most memorable was held at theWilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, California on February 15, 1981.[40]
In the first quarter of 1983, Aquino received news about the deteriorating political situation in his country and the rumored declining health of President Marcos (due tolupus). He believed that it was expedient for him to speak to Marcos and present to him his rationale for the country's return to democracy, before extremists took over and made such a change impossible. Moreover, his years of absence made his allies worry that the Filipinos might have resigned themselves to Marcos' strongman rule and that without his leadership the centrist opposition would die a natural death.[42]
Aquino decided to go back to the Philippines, fully aware of the dangers that awaited him. Warned that he would either be imprisoned or killed, Aquino answered, "if it's my fate to die by an assassin's bullet, so be it. But I cannot be petrified by inaction, or fear of assassination, and therefore stay in the side..."[43] His family, however, learned from a Philippine Consular official that there were orders from Ministry of Foreign Affairs not to issue any passports for them. At that time, their passports had expired and their renewal had been denied. They therefore formulated a plan for Aquino to fly alone (to attract less attention), with the rest of the family to follow him after two weeks. Despite the government's ban on issuing him a passport, Aquino acquired one with the help ofRashid Lucman, a formerMindanao legislator and founder of the Bangsamoro Liberation Front, aMoro separatist group against Marcos. It carried the aliasMarcial Bonifacio (Marcial for martial law and Bonifacio for Fort Bonifacio, his erstwhile prison).[44] He eventually obtained a legitimate passport from a sympathizer working in a Philippine consulate through the help ofRoque Ablan Jr., who was then a congressman forIlocos Norte. The Marcos government warned all international airlines that they would be denied landing rights and forced to return if they tried to fly Aquino back to the Philippines. Aquino insisted that it was his natural right as a citizen to come back to his homeland, and that no government could prevent him from doing so. He leftLogan International Airport on August 13, 1983, took a circuitous route home from Boston, viaLos Angeles, toSingapore. In Singapore, then-TunkuIbrahim Ismail of Johor met Aquino upon his arrival and later brought him toJohor,Malaysia to meet with other Malaysian leaders.[45] Once inJohor, Aquino met up with Tunku Ibrahim's father, SultanIskandar, who was a close friend to Aquino.[46]
He then left for Hong Kong and on toTaipei. He had chosen Taipei as the final stopover when he learned the Philippines had severed diplomatic ties with theRepublic of China (Taiwan). This made him feel more secure; the Taiwan government could pretend they were not aware of his presence. There would also be a couple ofTaiwanese friends accompanying him. From Taipei, he flew to Manila on then Taiwan'sflag carrierChina Airlines Flight 811.[45]
Marcos wanted Aquino to stay out of politics. However, Aquino asserted his willingness to suffer the consequences declaring, "the Filipino is worth dying for."[47] He wished to express an earnest plea for Marcos to step down, for a peaceful regime change and a return to democratic institutions. Anticipating the worst, at an interview in his suite at theTaipei Grand Hotel, he revealed that he would be wearing abullet-proof vest, but he also said that "it's only good for the body, but in the head there's nothing else we can do." Sensing his own doom, he told the journalists accompanying him on the flight, "You have to be very ready with your hand camera because this action can become very fast. In a matter of a three or four minutes it could be all over, you know, and [laughing] I may not be able to talk to you again after this."[48] His last televised interview,[49] with journalistJim Laurie, took place on the flight just prior to his assassination.
In his last formal statement that he was not able to deliver, he said, "I have returned on my free will to join the ranks of those struggling to restore our rights and freedoms through non-violence. I seek no confrontation."[50]
Aquino was shot in the head after returning to the Philippines in the early afternoon on August 21, 1983. About 1,000 security personnel had been assigned by the Marcos government to ensure Aquino's safe return to his detention cell inFort Bonifacio, but this did not prevent the assassination. Another man present at the airport tarmac, Rolando Galman, was shot dead shortly after Aquino was killed. The Marcos government falsely claimed that Galman was the trigger man in Aquino's assassination.
An investigation headed by Justice Corazon Agrava led to murder charges being filed against twenty-five military men and one civilian. They were acquitted by theSandiganbayan on December 2, 1985, in what the Supreme Court would later describe as a "mock trial" ordered by "the authoritarian president" himself.[51] The reaction was swift, a major coalition calledJAJA or "Justice for Aquino, Justice for All" was formed in 1983.
After Marcos' government was overthrown, another investigation found sixteen soldiers guilty. They were sentenced in 1990 by the Sandiganbayan to life in prison, a decision affirmed by the Supreme Court.[52] Some were released over the years, the last ones in March 2009.[53][54]
After the assassination, the opposition ran for theRegular Batasang Pambansa under theUnited Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) and thePartido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP–Laban) against the rulingKilusang Bagong Lipunan ofFerdinand Marcos. In the wake of the massive outpouring of protest and discontent following the assassination of Aquino, the opposition performed better during the1984 Philippine parliamentary election compared to the1978 Philippine parliamentary election, winning 61 seats out of 183 seats, or 33% of the total number of seats.[55]
Hours after the assassination, Aquino's remains were autopsied at Loyola Memorial Chapels inMakati.[56][57] Aquino's wife,Cory, was still in Boston when she was informed of the assassination through telephone by Japanese congressman and family friendShintaro Ishihara.[58] On the following day, his remains lay in state at the Aquino household in Times Street,Quezon City for several days, with his clothes unchanged, and no effort was made to disguise a bullet wound that had disfigured his face. His remains were also transferred to theSanto Domingo Church during that period. In an interview with Aquino's mother, Aurora, she told the funeral parlor not to apply makeup norembalm her son, to show "what they did to my son". Aquino's wife,Cory, and children Ballsy, Pinky, Viel,Noynoy, andKris arrived in the Philippines on August 23. His remains were later brought toTarlac on August 29 for a funeral inConcepcion and at theHacienda Luisita Chapel.[59] Thousands of supporters flocked to see the bloodied body of Aquino.[60]
Aquino's remains were returned toMetro Manila for a final funeral procession on August 31. It lasted from 9 a.m., when his funeral mass was held at Santo Domingo Church, with theCardinalArchbishop of Manila,Jaime Sin officiating, to 9 p.m., when his body was interred at theManila Memorial Park inParañaque.[61] More than two million people lined the streets for the procession. Some stations like the church-sponsoredRadio Veritas andDZRH were the only stations to cover the entire ceremony.[62]
Jovito Salonga, then head of theLiberal Party, referred to Aquino as "the greatest president we never had",[63] adding:
Ninoy was getting impatient in Boston, he felt isolated by the flow of events in the Philippines. In early 1983, Marcos was seriously ailing, the Philippine economy was just as rapidly declining, and insurgency was becoming a serious problem. Ninoy thought that by coming home he might be able to persuade Marcos to restore democracy and somehow revitalize the Liberal Party.[63]
Although Aquino was recognized as the most prominent and dynamic politician of his generation, in the years prior to martial law, many regarded him as a representative of the entrenched familial elite which to this day dominates Philippine politics. Telegenic and articulate, Aquino had his share of detractors and was not known to be immune to the ambitions and excesses of the ruling political class. However, during his seven years and seven months imprisoned as a criminal, Aquino read the bookBorn Again by convictedWatergate conspiratorCharles Colson and it inspired him to a rude awakening.[64]
As a result, the remainder of his personal and political life had a distinct spiritual sheen. He emerged as a contemporary counterpart ofJose Rizal, who was among the most vocal proponents of the use of non-violence to combat a repressive regime at the time, following the model ofMahatma Gandhi andMartin Luther King Jr.[65]
Some oppositionist students who were active in the fight against the Marcos administration, including now-opposition SenatorRisa Hontiveros, recount that at the time they had originally thought of Aquino as just another "traditional politician," but began to acknowledge he was more than that when he took the risk of returning to the Philippines, and ultimately paid for his choice with his life.[66][67]
Manila International Airport (MIA), where he was assassinated, was renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in 1987. Several schools, roads, and establishments, including theNinoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, were also named after him. His image has been featured onPhilippine banknotes since August 21, 1987 with theNew Design/BSP Series (demonetized January 3, 2018) andNew Generation Currency Series (together with his wifeCorazon Aquino)500-peso note.
On February 25, 2004, PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo signed into law Republic Act No. 9256 on the 21st anniversary of his death as an annualspecial non-working holiday in the Philippines.[68] In 2018, the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB) formally recognised Aquino, his wifeCorazon Aquino and 126 other individuals as amotu proprio victim of human rights violations committed under theMarcos Sr. dictatorship.[69]
Several monuments were built in their honor. One of which is the bronze memorial at the intersection ofPaseo de Roxas andAyala Avenue inMakati. Another bronze statue stands in front of the Municipal Building ofConcepcion, Tarlac.[70] Other monuments include those at thePeople Power Monument inQuezon City,[71] alonghis namesake avenue inParañaque,[72] inTarlac City,[73] and two others inManila; at the Intramuros-side of Padre Burgos Avenue cornerRoxas Boulevard, and around a kilometer down the aforementioned at Manila Baywalk oppositePedro Gil Street.
Aquino was also among the first to be honored at theBantayog ng mga Bayani, a monument dedicated to those who opposed the Marcos dictatorship, alongside fellow former senatorsJose W. Diokno andLorenzo Tañada.
TheNinoy Aquino Library and Learning Resources Center, the main university library of thePolytechnic University of the Philippines, was also named in his honor.
National Honors
:Quezon Service Cross -posthumous (August 21, 2004)
: Commander of thePhilippine Legion of Honor First Bronze Anahaw Leaf (1958), for serving as Presidential Assistant for the Garcia Administration,
:Philippine Legion of Honor, Commander (Komandante) (1954) for negotiation ofLuis Taruc's surrender to the Philippine Government.
:Philippine Legion of Honor, Officer (Pinuno), 1950 for his service in reporting on the state of the Philippine troops in the Korean War
:Order of the Knights of Rizal - Knight Grand Cross of Rizal.[74]posthumous (1986)International Honors
On October 11, 1954, he marriedCorazon Sumulong Cojuangco (Cory), with whom he had five children:[75]
In a June 1981 interview withPat Robertson onThe 700 Club, Aquino said he was raisedCatholic. According to him, his religious awakening began after readingEvangelical Christian authorCharles Colson's 1976 bookBorn Again, during his solitary confinement under the Marcos regime.[76]
Aquino was prominently featured in the 1988 Australian miniseriesA Dangerous Life. Aquino was portrayed byAmado Cortez in the 1994 filmMayor Cesar Climaco. Then-SenatorRaul Roco, who was part of Aquino's Senate legal staff, portrayed him for the 1997 filmIlaban Mo, Bayan Ko: The Obet Pagdanganan story. Then-Valenzuela MayorBobbit Carlos portrayed him in the 2003 biographical filmChavit: Blood Son of Ilocos. In 2005, directorCarlo J. Caparas and his wife, producer Donna Villa, began plans to produce a film about Aquino's assassination from the soldiers' point of view, while actorCesar Montano intended to produce a film based on Aquino's life starring himself, though both projects did not come to fruition.[77] His nephew, former SenatorBam Aquino, portrayed him in the 2009 documentary filmThe Last Journey of Ninoy. He was also portrayed byIsko Moreno andJerome Ponce in the 2022 filmMartyr or Murderer,[78] while in the same yearJK Labajo portrayed him in the historical drama filmAko si Ninoy.
On television, Aquino was portrayed byPiolo Pascual on the two-part story of "The Ninoy & Cory Aquino Story" onMaalaala Mo Kaya in 2010, in the episodes entitledKalapati andMakinilya.
In theater, Aquino was portrayed byConrad Ricamora in theOff-Broadway andSeattle productions of the musicalHere Lies Love. Ricamora reprises his role in the 2023 Broadway transfer of the musical.
Aquino wrote a 19-stanza poem for his wifeCory Aquino while in detention in 1973, entitled "I Have Fallen in Love with the Same Woman Three Times". The poem was made into a song by singerJose Mari Chan and is included in his 1989 albumConstant Change.
...Benigno Aquino Jr., using his deft journalistic skills, put some of the pieces of the Jabidah puzzle together, but the picture remained incomplete. Nevertheless, [...] Aquino's was the most thorough investigation.
The historically unprecedented noise barrage was an attestation they unanimously won that election, but they all lost in the counting.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Arsenio Lugay | Governor ofTarlac 1961–1967 | Succeeded by |
| ||
| Presidency |   | |
| Elections | ||
| Family |
| |
| Life and legacy | ||
| Related |
| |
| ||
| Presidency | .jpg)  | |
| Elections | ||
| Family |
| |
| Related | ||
| Official |  | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unofficial | |||||||
| National heroes |
| ||||||
| Chief Commander (Punong Komandante) |
|
|---|---|
| Grand Commander (Marangal na Komandante) | |
| Grand Officer (Marangal na Pinuno) | |
| Commander (Komandante) | |
| Officer (Pinuno) | |
| Legionnaire (Lehiyonaryo) | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| People | |
| Other | |
