Aquino skips activities for Ninoy, brings Robredo home

THE recovery of the remains of Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo has forced President Benigno Aquino III to skip the activities lined up for the commemoration of the death anniversary of his father Tuesday.

A special holiday was declared in the country Tuesday for the commemoration of the 29th death anniversary of Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., the martyred father of the President.

President Aquino since Sunday supervised the search and rescue operations for Robredo and two pilots of the Piper Seneca light plane that crashed off Masbate City last August 18.

On Monday night, he went back to Manila supposedly to attend activities in relation to the death anniversary of his father scheduled Tuesday. However, upon learning that Robredo's body was recovered at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, Aquino opted to fly back to Masbate to personally facilitate the transfer of Robredo’s body from Masbate to his hometown in Naga City.

The casket bearing the remains of Robredo was transferred to Naga through the C130 plane that President Aquino used going to Masbate.

A mass was held at the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque City, where Ninoy's remains were buried.

In commemoration of Ninoy's death anniversary, Office of the Presidential Spokesperson issued a statement calling on Filipinos to reflect on the life of Ninoy.

"In commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the martyrdom of Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr., we enjoin our countrymen of all ages to reflect on what Ninoy had hoped to achieve by coming home," the statement read.

On August 21, 1983, after three years of exile in the United States, Senator Aquino arrived in the Philippines, determined to raise the fallen standard of democracy in the country he so loved.

"His act was one of ultimate faith in the Philippines and his fellow Filipinos – anchored on the principle that only peaceful reconciliation with justice would achieve the restoration of democracy to prevent a Communist takeover and economic ruin," it added.

"His return was the ultimate act of surrender and self-sacrifice of a man who had endured seven years and seven months of imprisonment out of principle, to prove that the nation could find its faith in democracy once more," it said.

"We are making available to the public, for the first time, the Filipino translation of Ninoy’s famous undelivered statement. May his words, life, and martyrdom, continue to inspire us and sustain our efforts towards reform," the statement ended. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)