Daughter recalls events leading up to Ninoy assassination 40 years ago
During the 40th anniversary of the assassination of former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr, his daughter became emotional as she recalled the events leading to his passing in front of supporters that filled the Santo Domingo Church Monday morning.
Maria Elena Aquino-Cruz tearfully thanked the throng for continuing to show love to their family.
“My heart is full, as well as the hearts of Pinky, Viel, and Kris, our spouses and our children. Full of love and gratitude...Thank you to our bishops and priests who celebrated the mass,” she said.
“And to you, our fellow Filipinos who joined us today, when being seen with the Aquinos is not exactly in fashion during this time. Thank you for being one with us today in remembering Ninoy Aquino, the man who dreamed the impossible dream, running where the brave dare not go. To fight for the right without question or pause for the Filipino he believed worth dying for,” she added.
Cruz said she remembers how anxious she felt while waiting to hear about her father’s arrival in Manila in 1983. The family stayed behind in Boston.
Her father had insisted on returning to the Philippines despite their peaceful life in Boston, United States because he believed he could address the worsening condition of the country.
“Many people tried to stop him because our life in Boston was peaceful. But he said he would not be able to live with himself knowing he could have done something and he didn’t even try. So he wore a bulletproof vest and we also thought that the media from different countries could serve as added protection for him,” Cruz said.
“Since I couldn’t sleep, I went to the room of my mother (Corazon Aquino). I told her I felt restless so I will stay beside her. But she felt that way too. She was wide awake, feeling nervous and she couldn’t sleep. She was waiting for the news from Manila,” she said.
Moments later, their phone rang and she received a call from a reporter of Kyodo News trying to confirm if Aquino had indeed been shot at the airport.
“It’s like my heart suddenly stopped. I tried to calmly ask where he got that news from. He said that news was currently going around,” Cruz said.
Her brother, Benigno Aquino III, also entered their mother’s room to tell them he also heard the same news.
Cruz said her mother called up their friend from the Associated Press to also confirm if Aquino was dead and he said he has not yet received any information.
“But the truth is, he knew about it but he didn’t have the heart to tell her what happened,” she said.
More calls had followed and eventually, her father’s death was confirmed by Shintaro Ishihara, a Japanese politician who was a friend of the Aquino family.
Ishihara said he learned about Aquino’s death from Kiyoshi Wakamiya, a freelance journalist who was riding the same plane.
Cruz said their mother had called them to pray the rosary upon the confirmation of her father’s death.
“It was summer in Boston then, but I recall that I was shivering and feeling cold,” she said.
“In his last letter, Ninoy ( the former senator) said he has no wealth to pass down to us as an inheritance. He could only leave us with the name with a good reputation he strove to maintain. But he didn’t think he left us with more than that. He gave us hope that comes from a deep faith and trust in God. that He would not forsake us and that the truth will prevail,” she added.
As she ended her message, Cruz tearfully thanked her father’s supporters for the love they continued to show to the family.
Francisco Dee, a grandson, said he was “overwhelmed” by the support their family received.
“I guess, from the family, the overwhelming sense is that we’re grateful that 40 years later people are still willing to pay tribute, to honor, to remember the sacrifice of Lolo Ninoy,” he told The Daily Manila Shimbun in an ambush interview.
Meanwhile, Ruben Felipe, a member of the Liberal Party said the death of Aquino was the "spark" that caused the opposition to be united.
"That's what we need today, a united opposition. We may have different views, but when it comes to common issues, we should unite. That's what I am looking for," he said in a separate inte
A motorcade was also held by progressive groups at 8 am as part of the commemoration of Aquino’s death anniversary.
Patrolman Joren Sentorias from La Loma Police Station said they estimate that there were 3,000 participants in the motorcade and the mass. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
