Conspiracy Theory: 25 Years After Ninoy Aquino's Assassination

Through these Games, the world learned more about China, and China learned more about the world.

I am particularly moved by these words of International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge during the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics which was aired yesterday. China has proved worthy of being host to the Olympics. They have been hounded with so much issues in the past, I hope the rest of the world sees China beyond its form of government. Undeniably, that was just a showcase of things to come, while other nations have to face that reality.

But what glued me on television last night was “Beyond Conspiracy: 25 Years After the Aquino Assassination” featured on abs-cbn by Foundation for Worldwide People Power (FWWPP). It reaches out to who are eager to know more about Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.*, his assassination, what happened afterwards, and who were the likely masterminds.

With so much written about it in the past, I've never bothered to read the news. I am as guilty as anyone else who have taken for granted what actually transpired. I was surprised to learn a lot more details behind his death. The documentary was very bold in implicating the possible masterminds and the conspiracy within the military. I never knew Marcos acknowledged Ninoy to be his best successor. I never knew Galman was really a fall guy, I thought he got away with murder. I never knew the person who shot him was his escort from behind, the angle of the gun shot wound proved it. I never knew about General Custodio and Ninoy's cousin-in-law Danding Cojuanco were implicated alongside the Marcoses and General Ver.

In the documentary, Ms Tina Monzon Palma, the onscreen presenter said:

“We’ve looked at motive, means and opportunity and have come up with a partial solution to the puzzle. We must now put the last piece in place by probing who had the ability—and the gall—to cover up the dastardly crime in full view of the entire world.”

“The temerity to kill the political opposition’s most charismatic leader in the middle of an international airport in broad daylight—and to telegraph veiled threats of these vile intentions weeks and months before—pushed the limits of Filipino sensibilities … the plotters must have calculated that, given some time to let off steam, Filipinos would soon file away the Aquino assassination in some dark corner where they store unpleasant memories that can be promptly forgotten.”

For those who missed it, watch the full-length 80-minute documentary here and see for yourself this conspiracy theory.

August 21 marks the anniversary of assassination of former Senator *Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. Returning to the Philippines after three years of self-imposed exile, Aquino was shot in the head and killed on August 21, 1983 as he was escorted off an airplane by soldiers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Aquino was a staunch opponent of then-President Ferdinand Marcos. Aquino's death sparked anti-Marcos sentiment that led to the 1986 EDSA Revolution.