The Philippines on Monday, August 21, commemorated the 40th death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino. He was the leading opposition senator during the presidency of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Aquino was gunned down on the tarmac of Manila International Airport — now Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA — when he returned to the Philippines in 1983 following three years in exile. His assassination started a chain of events that would lead to the 1986 People Power Revolution that ousted Marcos.
Forty years later, the Marcoses are back in Malacañang. The dictator's son and namesake was elected president in last year's elections.
Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, Aquino's daughter, thanked the family's supporters during a commemoration mass held in Quezon City.
“To you our fellow Filipinos, who joined us today when being seen with Aquinos is not exactly in fashion during this time, thank you for being one with us today in remembering Ninoy Aquino,” she said.
