The Filipino is worth dying for- Ninoy Aquino

The Philippine political opposition leader Benigno Simeon Aquino, b. Nov. 27, 1932, d. Aug. 21, 1983, was assassinated while disembarking a plane upon his return to the Philippines from three years of self-imposed exile in the United States. Massive demonstrations followed by groups that alleged government complicity in the assassination. Philippine president Ferdinand MARCOS denied the allegations, but government actions to investigate the killing did not allay suspicions of official involvement. A civilian commission investigating the assassination reported in October 1984 that Aquino's death was planned and executed by the Philippine military. In 1985, however, the Philippine Supreme Court acquitted the military personnel implicated in the slaying (including armed forces chief of staff Gen. Fabian Ver). After Marcos left the country in 1986 and Aquino's widow, Corazon, became president, there were calls for a reopening of the assassination investigation. (see AQUINO , CORAZON)

Aquino, a member of a wealthy and politically powerful family, rose quickly in Philippine politics: mayor of Concepcion (1955), vice-governor of Tarlac province (1959), governor (1961), secretary general of the Liberal party (1966), and senator (1967). Labeled a communist by Marcos, Aquino was arrested and imprisoned following the imposition of martial law in 1972 and sentenced to death in 1977. When his death sentence was commuted in 1980, Aquino was allowed to go to the United States for medical treatment. Although Aquino did not live to see democracy restored to the Philippines, his assassination was the event that mobilized the opposition to Marcos and a major factor in the end of the Marcos regime on Feb. 25, 1986.