As the country commemorated Aquino’s 43rd death anniversary, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Friday recalled how the former senator’s 1983 assassination became a turning point in his political awakening and prompted him to question the Marcos dictatorship.
In a social media post, August 21, Pangilinan said he was nine years old when martial law was declared in 1972 and grew up believing government propaganda about the Marcos administration and its “New Society.”
“For all those years from 1972 to 1986, as martial law babies, we were bombarded with all the propaganda, ng lahat ng pagsisinungaling — na maganda ang New Society, na si Marcos ay isang bayani, na siya ay lumaban sa giyera at madami siyang medalya. At naniwala kami. Akala ko pinakamaganda na ang Pilipinas sa usapin ng progreso dahil ‘yun ang sinabi ng diktador,” Pangilinan said in a social media post.
He said he initially believed that the Philippines was progressing because that was what the dictatorship had told the public.
However, Aquino’s assassination on August 21, 1983, prompted him to question what was happening in the country.
“Unti-unti kong nakita ‘yung kasinungalingan. Unti-unti kong nakita ‘yung pagtatakip sa katotohanan. Unti-unti akong namulat na hindi tama ang ginagawa ng diktador. ‘Yun ang aking kamulatan: the Ninoy Aquino assassination. Unti-unti akong nagtanong. Naghanap ako ng mga sagot sa aking tanong, bakit ganito ang nangyayari sa ating bansa?” Pangilinan said.
He recalled attending rallies and educational discussions as he sought answers to his questions about the country’s political situation.
“I realized that the country was being run by a thief and tyrant,” he said.
Pangilinan later became involved in the student movement at the University of the Philippines. He was elected vice chairman of the College of Arts and Letters Student Council in 1984 and university councilor of UP Diliman in 1985.
He remained a student leader and activist until the fall of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986.
Pangilinan described Aquino’s assassination as the beginning of the end of his ignorance and indifference to the country’s problems.
“So ‘yun ang ating karanasan bilang martial law baby: Namulat sa katotohanan dahil sa pang-aapi at pang-aabuso ng diktadura... Binasag nang walang awang pagpatay kay Ninoy Aquino nung August 21, 1983 ang aking pagiging mangmang na teenager sa katotohanan, sa mga problema ng bansa, sa kasinungalingan ng diktadura at sa matinding pangaabuso sa pwesto ng mga nakaupo," Pangilinan said.
"Ninoy’s brutal killing was the beginning of the end of my ignorance and indifference to the ills of Philippine society,” he added.
He credited Aquino’s sacrifice for changing the path he took toward truth, justice and civic engagement.
“Salamat Ninoy sa iyong katapangan, paninindigan at sa iyong pag-alay ng buhay para sa kalayaan, sa demokrasya at para sa bayan,” Pangilinan said.
In a separate statement, Pangilinan urged Filipinos to go beyond remembering Aquino and continue his fight for a free and prosperous Philippines.
“Kaya naman ngayong araw, hindi sapat ang pag-alala lamang. Kailangang kumilos,” he said, calling on Filipinos to stand together, hold abusive officials accountable and put the welfare of the people above personal or political interests.
Pangilinan said he continues to believe in Aquino’s vision of a Philippines that is “tunay na malaya at masagana.”
“Hindi pa tapos ang laban, pero patuloy tayong lalaban,” he said, adding that continuing the fight is the best tribute Filipinos can give Aquino.
