Irony in marking Ninoy’s heroism

Aug. 21 marks the death anniversary of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Needless to say, it is the time of the year when we commemorate the late senator’s heroism and sacrifices for the country. But Ninoy’s larger-than-life iconic image as one of the most prominent voices that criticized the Marcos regime, and his brutal assassination upon his return from a self-imposed exile, have captured our minds so vividly that we are blinded by idolatry and seek to understand only the best things about him.

We recognize his greatness, but we tend to set aside his limitations as a hero.

There is no question about Ninoy’s sincerity in opposing tyranny. He criticized the regime even while in detention and abroad. But it should also be noted that Senator Aquino was also a seasoned politician. Popular and equipped with political resources and machinery, he could have won the presidential election if the conditions had then permitted him to run as a candidate. The point is Ninoy’s crusade for the restoration of liberal democracy was not ultimately based on pure idealism. One way or another, he was motivated by his political ambitions.

And what kind of president could Ninoy have been then? Although a principled oppositionist, it’s really hard to tell if he would have turned out to be a great president—great in terms of protecting and advancing the interests of the Filipino people. In his speeches and letters, Ninoy did not elaborate his commitment to assert our national independence and sovereignty against US imperialism nor did he put emphasis on the need for a genuine agrarian reform. So it’s wrong to say that Senator Aquino is the greatest president we never had without taking into consideration his political beliefs and government platforms for the post-Marcos period.

The gains of Edsa People Power should not be solely attributed to one person or family. It is the struggles of the Filipino people that made it happen. Ninoy was undoubtedly a martyr, and so are the countless victims of martial law who fought relentlessly and tirelessly against the dictatorship. Unfortunately, they did not have the public stature of the late senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

It is an irony that hundreds of political prisoners are still languishing in jail today even as the Aquino administration takes pride in the glory of Edsa. Ninoy’s martyrdom should be used to uphold our civil rights, not as an excuse to defend the prevailing system. Tying his memory to the present administration, whose incompetence and misguided policies have inflicted dire consequences on the country, is an insult to his legacy.

—DANIEL ALOC, [email protected]