Ninoy Aquino

Ninoy Aquino was a former senator, governor and mayor of the Philippines. He was the leading oppositionist of the former president Ferdinand Marcos. On August 21, 1983, he was assassinated at the Manila International Airport (now named Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his honor).

Ninoy Aquino was born as Benigno Servillano Aquino Jr in 1932 in Concepcion, Tarlac area of the Philippines. Aquino's political career included as the Presidential Adviser to Defense affairs from 1949 to 1954 when he assumed position of Mayor of Conception from December 1955 through 1959. He moved up the political chain as Vice Governor of Tarlac from 1959 through 1961 and became Governor in 1961. Ninoy remained in this position until 1967 which he was elected to the Senate. From 1967 until 1972 Ninoy Aquino was a Philippines Senator until his dispute with Marcos.

Ninoy Aquino was a reporter during the Korean War. He became the Philippines youngest mayor at age 22. In 1967 he was the youngest Senator ever elected in the Philippines. In 1973 he was a candidate for the position of President to replace Ferdinand Marcos until Marcos declared Martial Law. Marcos had Aquino jailed on charges of murder, subversion, and illegal possession of firearms. Aquino was found guilty by Marcos' military tribunal and spent 7 years in jail. In 1980 he was allowed to go to the U.S. for a heart surgery. When Aquino attempted to return to the Philippines in 1983 he was assassinated as he got off the airplane.http://www.notablebiographies.com/An-Ba/Aquino-Benigno.html

Ninoy Aquino was married to Corazon Aquino who later took a stand and became the unified opposition presidential candidate as the people's representative in an attempt for a fair election. In 1986 Aquino won the vote but Marcos refused to step down. The ultimate People Power Revolution on a primary road in Manila known as EDSA led to the Marcos family being removed from power and Cory Aquino becoming the first female president of the Philippines.

With son of the slain Filipino leader Ninoy Aquino running for the 2010 Presidential position, controversy arose regarding the memorial type posters which adorned the streets of the country honoring Ninoy and Cory. Commissioner of Elections (COMELEC) agreed the posters/banners should not be allowed during election season. Candidate Noynoy Aquino disagrees, saying they are taking away the chance for those who wish to honor the dead. http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/248247/lp-assails-removal-cory-ninoy-posters

• "The Filipino is worth dying for"Mattandjojang: Excerpt from Ninoy Aquino's Letter from Prison