As the nation marked the 27th death anniversary of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino, Jr. on Saturday, Malacañang urged Filipinos to emulate the example set by the martyred father of President Benigno S. Aquino III that “a man who can set aside his own personal comfort, his interests, and even his life, can achieve greater good for the whole country.”

“If we unite to do the right thing and to help each other out, I think, the idea here is we can build a better country together. For me, this is the main theme for today (August 21),” Secretary Ramon “Ricky” Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) said in an interview over state-run DZRB radio on Saturday.

Carandang said August 21, 1983, has always been a significant date in the history of the nation, but this year’s commemoration of the death of the President’s father is more significant since his only son is now the country’s President.

“Ninoy” was an opposition leader during the time of then President Ferdinand Marcos.

He was assassinated in August 21, 1983 at the then Manila International Airport. The airport was later renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his honor.

Aquino Jr.'s death resulted in a popular uprising, which led to the ouster of Marcos and the installation of Aquino’s wife, Corazon, as President in 1986.

“I think this is a good opportunity for us to remember what this day is about in history, the contribution that it had to our history,” Carandang said.

“Let us remember what this day is about. It’s a holiday, the 27th death anniversary of Sen. Ninoy Aquino, the father of our President. Let’s remember why it is a holiday. Of course, enjoy the holiday. It’s a weekend and we all deserve a weekend. But let us take some time to remember also why this day was declared a holiday,” he added.

Several activities remembering the martyred senator’s death were slated in different parts of the country Saturday but President Aquino chose to observe a private and solemn commemoration rather than to have a circus.”

A mass was said to be scheduled to be celebrated at the tombs of his parents at the Manila Memorial Park Saturday afternoon.

Carandang had acknowledged that the President, like his sisters, has moved on after the family tragedy on that fateful August 21, 1983.

He said the pain in the family may still be there “but like most things that is very painful to you emotionally they have moved on.”

Apparently still hurting over the fate of his father’s case, President Aquino said he would rather not see the Aviation Security Command (AVSECOM) van which carried his father's body after his assassination – a case that remains unsolved up to this day.

This as reports said the vehicle has been found rotting in the Philippine State College Aeronautics in Villamor Airbase.

He said court records on the Aquino-Galman double murder case revealed that the van took a “tour” instead of directly bringing the fallen senator to a medical facility.

Investigators, he said, also suspected that his father’s head was hit by a rifle by one of the people inside the van to ensure that he was dead.

“So, looking at the van does not bring any good memories to me. In fact, it might induce a lot of anger that of course, I cannot allow to fester nor to express, being the President of the Republic. I have to divorce the personal side from my public obligations,” he said of the double murder case of his father and alleged gunman Rolando Galman.

Manila rites
In Manila, the city government paid tribute to the late Senator Ninoy Aquino by commemorating his 27th death anniversary with the theme, “The Filipino is worth dying for.”

Present during the wreath-laying ceremonies at the Ninoy Aquino Monument on P. Burgos Drive, Intramuros, Manila, were Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Ninoy's daughter Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino, former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Manila First District Rep. Atong Asilo, Fifth District Rep. Amado Bagatsing, and the city councilors of Manila.

During the event, Lim recalled the ordeals of Ninoy and how he was imprisoned for seven years and seven months despite his innocence. “Wala siyang kasalanan (He has no fault),” Lim said.

“Lumalaban lang siya sa karahasan ng Martial Law (He was only fighting the excesses of Martial Law)."

He also asked the people to try and put themselves in the shoes of the Aquino family, and imagine the pain of losing one's father simply because of a “frame-up.”

But in her speech, Ballsy said her family saw hope through pain. She narrated, “Tuwing palapit ang death anniversary ng aming ama, may nagtatanong kung may galit pa kami sa mga pumatay sa aming ama. Pero wala na sa amin 'yun, kasi napatawad na namin sila. Huwag na dapat isipin ang masasama, kundi isipin nalang ang mga positibo. Iniisip nalang namin na sa pagkamatay ng aming ama, bumalik ang demokrasya sa Pilipinas (Every time our father's death anniversary draws near, people would ask us if there is still hate in our hearts. But there is no more hate; we have already forgiven them. We should no longer dwell on the bad things, but instead concentrate on the good. With our father's death, democracy was brought back to the country.)"

Quezon City rites
The family of Senator Benigno “Ninoy’’ Aquino Jr. and officials of the Quezon City government led the wreath-laying ceremony on Saturday at the 14-foot brass monument at the corner of Quezon Ave. and Timog Ave. to commemorate the 27th death anniversary of the late senator.

Aquino’s daughter Maria Elena “Ballsy” Aquino-Cruz and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Mayor Herbert Bautista, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, members of the city council and City Hall Department heads led the rites at around 7:30 in the morning.

The city government spent P5.4 million for the construction of Aquino’s memorial shrine which stands on a 500-square meter property, formerly used as a directional island along the area. The shrine is a sculptural work of popular artist Eduardo Castrillo. (With reports from Czarina Nicole O. Ong and Chito A. Chavez)