On Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.’s 87th birth anniversary yesterday, don’t we have anything better to show the world as fruits of his courage and sacrifice than the tyranny, impunity, corruption, militarization and revisionism that characterize our politics today?
Where were the millions who, at Edsa, made the bloodless people power revolution the envy of the world?
Where are the historians who, at this point, should be leading the pushback against the second coming of the Marcos administration?
In an amazing coup, the heirs to the conjugal dictatorship of tyranny, corruption and thievery are back in Congress and the Senate (but hopefully not in Malacañang!), thanks to their hacks, trolls and loyalists.
Where are the rest of our legal stalwarts and champions, such as the late Cecilia Muñoz-Palma and Andres Narvasa, and now Antonio Carpio?
In what has been described as a disaster for those who care for the Constitution and the law, we see the supremacy of justices today who bend over backward to give the Marcoses every opportunity to make their case, even letting Imelda walk free when she should be languishing in jail.
Right-thinking Filipinos are disgusted at the rot, and see the courts as dens for powerful cheats and thieves.
The Senate and the House of Representatives has become a junkyard of boxers, plunderers, college flunkers, movie stars, comedians, lawbreakers, bench-sitters, presidential aides and all-around apologists!
Where, above all, is our correct sense of history? Anyone who calls Ninoy a traitor—and there are many of them on social media today— has no idea what true greatness is.
As Elfren S. Cruz wrote: “Two scenes — Rizal being shot by Spanish soldiers in Luneta (Dec. 30, 1896) and Ninoy’s body lying still on the tarmac (Aug. 21, 1983) — are among the most heroic images in Philippine history. These two scenes have depicted the ideals of Filipino heroism and love of freedom.”
For the young, we’ll always be in your ear, reminding you not to forget Ninoy, who died for your freedom — for you not to live in a country of darkness and shame.
PIT M. MALIKSI
pitmaliksi2004@yahoo.com