FAKE HEROISM

As we commemorate the National Heroes Day, we have the ample time to look back at the biography and history of every Filipino hero that had given his/her life for the sake of the nation and the Filipino people. We have known their sacrifices through books and other source materials such as the internet. It is not surprising to think that there are "CONTROVERSIES" surrounding them because they are humans too. These controversies can be considered as imperfections or flaws. These controversies are often supported by a handful of conspiracy theories that may be influenced by a political affiliation or a view which can be political, radical or even personal.

Benigno “NINOY” S. Aquino Jr. is considered to be one of our heroes and martyrs who fought Marcos dictatorship until his assassination. He is on the 500 peso bill and MIA (Manila International Airport) was renamed to NAIA honoring his death on the tarmac. While he is enjoying these recognitions, he was tagged as a "TRAITOR" for allowing the Malaysian government to take over Sabah from our territory when he exposed the infamous and alleged "JABIDAH MASSACRE" in 1968. Following Ninoy’s expose, the government’s plan of claiming and protesting the territorial rights on Sabah was put in jeopardy. Ninoy was a former Senator and one of the stalwarts of the Liberal Party during the Marcos Regime. He is the father of former President Benigno Simeon "NOYNOY" C. Aquino III. He's one of the vocal critics of President Marcos and probably the greatest political nemesis of the late Dictator. Is Ninoy a real hero or a fake one? Through the years, his life and ambition seem to be more mysterious than his death.

Ninoy came from a rich family and Aquinos were one of the most popular and powerful oligarchs in Tarlac. Quite eloquent and bright, his early active engagements with politics have been proven when he became one of the youngest mayors and governors of the nation. And also became the youngest vice governor before Jolo Revilla took the record. Even after he married Corazon Aquino, who later became the first female President of the county, his skeptical perspectives on political issues became more appealing to the public. Probably, one of the greatest Ninoy's achievements was the surrender of the HUKBALAHAP leader, Luis Taruc. President Magsaysay appointed him as a personal emissary to Taruc. Ninoy came from a political family and at the early age, he started gaining a political popularity and charisma.

He stretched his political ambition when he was elected as the youngest Senator at 34. His criticisms towards Marcos marked the beginning of their rivalry. Ironically, Marcos and Aquino, having an irreconcilable and two different ideologies, were both members of the UP's Upsilon Sigma Phi. Ninoy's good public speaking was evident during his senate tenure. He had numerous privilege speeches against the administration and would even go to Malacañang to have a face to face dialogue with the President and address his concerns on Marcos' policies. Ninoy's presence posed a threat to the regime and his supporters pictured him as Marcos' successor. Few might notice that he had a poor legislative record. He was the author of "STUDY NOW PAY LATER" Bill that was later improved by Senator Raul Roco. His eloquence had not really much contributed to his track record as a senator.

In 1968, Aquino disclosed the alleged secret plan of Marcos to make the Philippines a Garrison State. According to Ninoy, Marcos would declare Martial Law to stay in power. Four years before Marcos initiated the OPLAN SAGITTARIUS (Martial Law), Ninoy said in an interview that he would support Martial Law if Marcos would not be abusive and reforms would benefit the people. He believed Martial was the only possible way to solve the country’s social and financial woes. Those who opposed Marcos were put in jail and Ninoy was one of them. As a political detainee, he continued to show his resistance by taking a 40-day fasting like Mahatma Gandhi. He had lost a lot of weight and suffered a heart disease during his incarceration. He was later sentenced to execution by firing squad under a military tribunal. However, US President Jimmy Carter advised Marcos to spare his life. In 1980, he suffered a heart attack and sent to the Philippine Medical Heart Center founded by the government and headed by Imelda Marcos. He was later diagnosed to have a blocked artery and he refused to undergo a coronary bypass operation. The late senator requested to conduct the operation in the US. In his speech in Los Angeles on February 1981, he revealed the reason why he was reluctant to do the operation in the Philippines. He said not only because the surgeon was handpicked by Imelda but because he feared for his life. Of course, Marcos would not be stupid enough to kill his enemy in front of his people. The government set a list of conditions that would allow Ninoy to go abroad. First, he would not speak against the Marcos regime and second, he would return after his recovery. Ninoy agreed and Marcos had put his greatest enemy outside the perimeter of the political arena.

Before his incarceration, Ninoy was supposed to attend a grand Liberty Party rally led by Senator Jovito Salonga. On the night of August 21, 1971, the Plaza Miranda Bombing took place. Several people were injured including Senator Salonga. Ninoy was nowhere to be found after the bombing. There were rumors that he was one of the masterminds of the bombings and secretly met with Joma Sison, the  leader of the Communist Party during the incident. There was also a story that he was in his home or a nearby hotel when the bombing happened. President Marcos blamed the Communists while there were indications that Ninoy had obviously supported the founding of Communism in the country. And he allegedly formed an alliance with Sison and other Communist leaders. It was two decades later when Senator Salonga said that he believed Ninoy has something to do with the bombing. By dispatching the others members of the Liberal Party, Ninoy would have been easily the choice to become the strongest Presidential candidate for the next election.

The three-year stay of the Aquinos in Boston had been a blessing in disguise. He had enjoyed his days with his kids and wife away from the limelight of politics. The Harvard University offered him a fellowship. At first, he was reluctant to take it but later accepted the fellowship. People who met Ninoy in the said university witnessed how Ninoy would not even care to speak against Marcos,. He was silent about it. Surprisingly, Ninoy never write  any books about his political views. But on  February 1981, a month later after Marcos lifted Martial Law, Ninoy faced a throng of people and addressed the current situation of the Philippines, the failing economy and Marcos' deteriorating health. He wanted to return to tell Marcos that it's about time to give up the throne. Marcos' health would become a liability for a starving nation.

On August 21, 1983, he promised to return and faced his fate on the tarmac under a fake identity, Marcial Bonifacio. Before his assassination, there were two versions of Ninoy. One version happened during a phone conversation with a friend that he would return to speak with Marcos to ask for his support for the Presidency as Ninoy saw it as a great opportunity. The second version was seen and heard in his one of his last recorded interviews in the plane. The latter said that his intention to return is to convince Marcos to step down and call for an election. He said he has lost his appetite for office and imagined himself as a younger brother telling his older brother to put down his ego.

Until now, the mastermind of the killing is unknown. The Aquinos said justice has been served to Ninoy while believing it was Ferdinand Marcos. Imelda was also tagged but the accusation was dismissed after the Agrava Commission, put up by Marcos, had found evidence verifying Ver and the military's involvement in the assassination. But in 1985, he was acquitted by Marcos. Ver's involvement could indicate that the military was planning to stage a coup and establish a military junta if succeeded. Ninoy would still be a thorn in the flesh if he survived the assassination. He might be the next President in case Marcos died from his illness (kidney ailment or lupus). Marcos, himself, was again not stupid enough to have his nemesis killed in front of his people. During the assassination, Marcos had successfully survived a kidney transplant operation. Danding Cojuangco, Cory's cousin and a closer adviser to Marcos, was accused by the military men as the the leader who orchestrated the crime but under the Cory Administration, 16 military personnel were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Ninoy could be the greatest President we never had. According to him, "Filipino is worth dying for." His death had built one of the powerful foundations of an uprising in 1986, EDSA PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION. The rise of the Liberal Party, YELLOWS, cannot be solely attributed to his death. Marcos losing popularity after the lifting of the Martial Law contributed to the chances of the Opposition to redeem their popularity and gain their momentum. Ninoy was not the supremo of the Liberal Party and neither the driving force of the opposition. His consistency as a vocal critic to Marcos paved his way to having a charisma that could match and neutralize the latter's. The public may portray him as a great politician but not a President who could solve a problem in just a day. What could our country look like under a Ninoy's presidency? We don't know. We also don't know if he truly sacrificed his life for his people. If Ninoy would have been alive today, he might support the death penalty. One story told that Ninoy would support the idea of executing corrupt politicians in public. Before returning, Ninoy could serve himself as a sacrificial lamb for the US to unseat a mighty Marcos based on a conspiracy theory. Ninoy could be a pawn to destabilize a government. And he could be a CIA's puppet.

Did he die like a hero? The answer lies on our judgment. Either he's a hero or not, we should stand up to our politics and beliefs. Rizal and Bonifacio are not even declared officially a national hero but there was an acknowledgment for their sacrifices. Ninoy can be acknowledged as a hero if you support and love his politics and a traitor or an opportunist if you believe he is just an ambitious presidential wannabe. And we agree to disagree.

Ninoy is neither a fake hero nor a real one. It's how we look at him and his life. As simple as that would give us a peace of mind and end up in a fair compromise.


Sources: wikipedia.org; Manila Times
Photo credits to: Google; wikipedia.org