Marcial Bonifacio Day

ANDhere we go again. It’s that time of the year when the assassination of a Malaysian citizen, a certain Marcial Bonifacio, is celebrated as a public holiday in these islands. The “devotees to the cult of the yellow ribbon” and other idiots Republic Act 9256, which was claim that Marcial Bonifacio is their on Feb. signed into law by President  Gloria hero Ninoy Aquino. Perhaps. But the Macapagal-Arroyo  25, 2004, passport of the corpse on the tarmac 21 years after his death and 18 years that day bore the name Marcial As you can see f rom t hat after the People Power Revolution. Bonifacio, a Malaysian citizen. explanation, the ultimate motive is Which brings us to the question patronage politics – paying a debt to why today, Aug. 21, is a special the “cult of yellow ribbon devotees” nonworking holiday. Not that I’m and not to honor a “hero” who had complaining about the holiday; done something great for the natives any day off from work is always a of this archipelago. welcome respite. And what about the man they

The late Benigno Aquino Jr. a.k.a. imposed upon us to honor? What Ninoy Aquino/ Marcial Bonifacio had he done for the country and the was not a hero. Dying for political natives? ambitions is not heroic. He was just Ninoy Aquino was a congressman another opportunistic politician who and senator; during his time as a entered politics to fulfill his personal member of both legislative bodies ambitions and save “Hacienda not a single bill or law was passed Luisita” at all cost. He was the classic coming from him. demagogue who spent his time as an If that sounds familiar, he had a elected public official making himself son and namesake, more popularly look good while his political rivals known as Noynoy Aquino who also look bad. was a congressman and a senator for

12 years without a single bill or law commemorates of passed to his name.

N i n o y A q u i n o D a y  former  The late Ninoy Aquino spent

the  assassination  He was the husband his time i n the Senate doing senator  Benigno “Ninoy” of  privilege speeches one after Aquino Jr.

another denouncing then President Corazon Aquino, who was later to

Ferdinand Marcos, grandstanding to become  Philippine president.

The holiday was created by

make himself look good and Marcos look bad.

Ninoy Aquino vehemently opposed then President Marcos for two things: he wanted to become President of the Republic and Marcos was his main stumbling block, and the lease from the government of Hacienda Luisita was about to expire and President Marcos already served noticed that it won’t be extended and the government wanted it back.

For the uninitiated, here’s a short background on Hacienda Luisita:

Ninoy helped brokered the purchase of  Hacienda Luisita, a

in the country, 6,453-hectare sugar plantation and for his wife’s the biggest  hacienda

family in 1957. He later on became the Hacienda’s administrator.

In return for the family agreeing to distribute Hacienda Luisita’s land to small farmers by 1967, the purchase received preferential treatment from the Philippine government, which included a loan package from the Philippine Central Bank and

( GSIS). However, t he the  Government Service Insurance family successfully resisted the System  distribution of

the land to small farmers, including during the period

You see why it was imperative of Marcos government (1965-1986). upon Ninoy Aquino to bring then President Marcos down, just like why his nincompoop son who later on became President also had the late Chief Justice Renato Corona impeached? Yeah baby, it was all about Hacienda Luisita.

In the early 1980s when Ninoy Aquino was in the United States, the interest of natives on the opposition against President Marcos faded. The country was progressive and peaceful with the natives becoming complacent. Really, nobody wanted to demonstrate against Marcos anymore. Ninoy Aquino and his motley crew were largely forgotten.

Ninoy Aquino needed to spark the natives’ interest in his cause

JUST ANOTHER DAY.../14