Photo and Story by: Jun Nucum
Four decades after the assassination of Senator Benigno Ninoy Aquino Jr. proved to be the best attended gathering of the so-called friends of Ninoy in remembrance of him celebration of his life and commemoration of what did for his beloved Philippines.
In an event highlighted with a Catholic mass celebrated by Fr. Rey Culaba with four other priests, interrupted with videos about the life and struggles of Ninoy through musical interpretations of songs dear to Ninoy particularly Impossible Dream and Bayan Ko including the nostalgic and patriotic Sa Sariling Bayan leaving many wiping their tear from their faces.
Culaba’s homily dwelt on the deeper dimension of Ninoy shared with sister Lupita that “in jail Ninoy found God when he did his hunger strike and read His scriptures, and he prayed and prayed Ninoy found God, who, of course, always there for Ninoy.”
“For Ninoy giving up is not only his possessions but giving up his very life itself. He was ready to give his life for God and for his neighbor,” Culaba, who has celebrated for Ninoy in the U.S. since the first death anniversary, added.
Veteran Bay Area KTVU journalist Lloyd LaCuesta, on behalf of wife Lisa Yungchengco, introduced Ken Kashiwahara by sharing how the love between him and Lupita blossomed that also led to the closeness of Ken with Ninoy.
Thereafter Kashiwahara delivered the Aquino family’s reflection response through a letter he would send Ninoy talking, among others, on the decision to push through with the homecoming even when Ninoy was recognized at the Singapore Airport although a fake name of Marcial Bonifacio was used and was questioned by a Taiwan immigration officer.
Kashiwahara also talked on how Ninoy showed and depended on his piousness whenever he sees him fingering rosary beads uttering his prayers in silence, reading the Bible with wife Cory and their children that led to tears among family members while on the phone doubling down on Fr. Culaba’s account on Ninoy.
“Your faith in God gave you strength. I understood that when I turned to talk to you on the plane and you were deep in prayer, head bowed, fingering your rosary beads. You hoped for the best but settled for what God gave you: a “victory” if we just land, you said. After all you’d been through, I thought, it would be indeed,” Kashiwahara recalled.
After recalling the events immediately after Ninoy’s death including the hundreds of thousands that viewed Ninoy’s body in the coffin at Time’s Street and then at Sant Domingo Church to the eleven-hour final journey to Manila Memorial Park attended by millions along the way, Kashiwahara revealed that then U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Michael Armacost asked on whether Ninoy had concerns about local Communists. And when Kashiwahara’s answered no, Armacost replied, “then Marcos is guilty of criminal negligence at the very least. That was the beginning of the end of America’s support for Philippine dictatorship.”
Other guests interviewed were asked on their takes on the 40th death anniversary and its relevance to present-day Philippine affairs.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who was only 11-years-old in California when Ninoy died, shared that he needed to be with Filipino American community as we celebrate the life and legacy of Ninoy Aquino on the 40th anniversary of his passing that we be inspired despite the pain to recommit to what he stood for, his courage, commitment, his sacrifice and all for the good for a better world, for fairness for justice of the future of the Filipinos.
“And that open optimism that led him to reach on despite the risk is beautiful and powerful. I hope it will be able to inspire people of today in their fights for justice and fairness the people here and there in our Motherland,” Bonta stressed.
Bonta mentioned that forty years after, Ninoy still is so relevant as his willingness to sacrifice despite of threat and risk to personal safety, when it is right it is never a wrong time to do it, while fighting wrong against evil against someone who takes away freedom and democracy and you are fighting for the people is the spirit needed today “as we become overcome our own hurdles and challenges attacks on democracy, our rights, on people.
“We need more people to be like Ninoy and stand up and fight and give everything they have for what’s right and what’s for the good of the people,” Bonta championed. “To have Marcos in power the and have another Marcos in power now is not something I thought would occur. But here we are now. If President Marcos want to serve the people, and I hope he does it well, then there will be no problem.”
On the other hand, Bonta thinks that if the son seeks the pathway of his father, in the ways that were violative of human rights and undemocratic, the people will speak up, speak out, and rise up as he knows that the people are there and are willing to protect what they have is important.
Cynthia Bonta
Bonta’s mother Cynthia regards the day as “very significant and very historical” as the supporters of Ninoy Aquino are thinking about him ever since he was assassinated heroically.
“Since it is the 40th anniversary it also very timely because another Marcos in power in the Philippines. And this is a very very deep concern to all of us because democracy is threatened in the Philippines and I think it is getting everybody active and I am so happy to hear that tonight is actually a testimony to the support that is building up for democracy in the Philippines,” mom Cynthia observed.
From the younger generation, Daly City Vice Mayor Juslyn Manalo regard Ninoy as someone that has impacted not only the Philippines but the world.
“And I remember when my grandfather brought home People Power shirts to the United States and how important it was for him to impart what happened and also the unity in the Philippines,” recollected Manalo. “We need to continue to fight for democracy and for the needs of the people.”
Immigration lawyer Lou Tancinco was still a freshman at UP College of Law when it all happened and joined the line in Time Street and Santo Domingo Church
Most mourners were in yellow attire to see Ninoy’s coffin and emotions are very high at that time and many just wanted to do something about it.
“It is good the community is still around commemorating the death anniversary. It is relevant in reminding us how much we love our country, how much we need to sacrifice to do more. It is never enough. We’ll see now that another Marcos is in power,” Tancinco expressed.
In a most attended Friend of Ninoy affair, scores heard Mass led by Fr. Rey Culaba ( in red vest) to also gather together and exchange pleasantries and reconnect with each other especially during the fellowship meal after the mass.
A souvenir shot of just a slice of the big crowd, including sister Lupita (center in black and maroon top), Attorney Rob Bonta (to Lupita’s left) and Ken Kashiwahara (seated extreme left) that attended the Mass that commemorated the 40th death Anniversary of Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.
California State Attorney General Rob Bonta’s mother Cynthia regards the day as “very significant and very historical”.
