« on: August 21, 2010, 07:02:32 PM »
Wreath-laying starts Ninoy 27th death anniversary ritesGMANews.TV - Saturday, August 21
Wreath-laying ceremonies in Manila and in Quezon City early Saturday morning kicked off activities marking the 27th death anniversary of former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces chief of staff Lt. Gen. Ricardo David Jr. led the wreath-laying at the People Power Monument along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), radio dzBB’s Allan Gatus reported.
Gazmin served as presidential security chief of Ninoy's late widow, former President Corazon Aquino.
Supporters of Aquino’s son and incumbent President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III, most wearing yellow, attended the ceremony at the monument along EDSA.
They also took a vow to take a more active role in nation-building.
Organizers of the event included the Yellow Ribbon Movement (YRM), Spirit of EDSA Foundation and the EDSA People Power Commission.
YRM described Saturday’s event as the 27th anniversary of “Ninoy Aquino’s martyrdom for democracy."
Meanwhile, in Manila, dzBB’s Teresa Tavares reported President Aquino's sister Ballsy Aquino-Cruz asked Filipinos to remember her father’s martyrdom, which she said was part of God’s plan.
But Aquino-Cruz also appealed to soldiers who were convicted – but later pardoned – to at least make public what they saw on the day her father was assassinated.
Ninoy was shot dead at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport on Aug. 21, 1983. The airport has since been named after him.
The assassination triggered a series of protests against the Marcos regime, culminating in a bloodless uprising that ousted the strongman and installed Aquino’s widow Corazon as president in 1986.
Mrs. Aquino’s death in August 1, 2009 prompted now-President Noynoy Aquino to run in the 2010 presidential elections.
‘Move on’
On the eve of his father’s 27th death anniversary, President Aquino was advised to “feel forgiveness" for those behind the assassination.
Fr. Fernando Carpio of Quiapo Church in Manila said the pardon should be personal as well as judicial, if only to achieve true healing.
“Personal forgiveness is needed if healing and reconciliation is to to be achieved," he said in an article posted Friday night on the Union of Catholic Asian News website.
Of the 16 soldiers who were sentenced to life imprisonment for Ninoy’s murder, three died in prison and the rest have since been pardoned and released.
The president has said he still feels resentment over the incident and there has been speculation that his office may call a reinvestigation.
On the other hand, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son of the late strongman, who some believe to have masterminded Ninoy's assassination, similarly called for “closure."
“It’s important that we find closure so we can move on and not have to relive the past," he said.
He added the Marcos family also deems it “extremely important" to find out exactly what happened.
“We have never wavered in our belief that there were forces other than those already named," he said.
Earlier, President Aquino’s sisters said the incident is a closed book.
“For me, you cannot hold these ill feelings for long because in the end it’s you who will suffer," said one of them, Aurora Abellada. — LBG, GMANews.TV