21/08/2026
Lourdes School of Mandaluyong remembers Philippine Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr., a political prisoner and martyr for his eloquent and vocal criticism of Martial Law and the Marcos dictatorship.
He was an early and staunch critic of emerging threats to democracy under the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. He was one of those first imprisoned when Presidential Decree 1081 placed the Philippines under military rule in 1972. He remained in exile after going abroad for a medical condition that was aggravated by his imprisonment. He professed that the Filipino was worth dying for and proved his conviction by bravely facing mortal threats when he decided to return from exile. Almost immediately after disembarking from the plane that brought him home, he was assassinated in broad daylight at the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983 despite a contingent of over 1,000 armed soldiers and police that was supposedly there to ensure his safety.
His death stirred widespread indignation and triggered the outpouring of popular dissent against the authoritarian regime which ultimately led to the peaceful People's Revolt in February, 1986 which deposed Ferdinand Marcos and his cronies from power.
We remember so that we may learn and be reminded of those lessons from history that remain fresh and urgent even after almost four decades. Pax et bonum!
