Aquino Assassination 1983

For Educational and historical uses only. On July 1, 2010, President Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino 3 served his first full day in office in the Philippines. The video posted here is in memory of the President's father. On August 21, 1983, opposition leader Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino Jr. attempted to end a long exile and return to politics in the Philippines. An opponent of President Ferdinand Marcos since the late 1960's, Aquino felt it was time to challenge an aging and ailing Marcos again. Jim Laurie was the last person to interview Aquino before he was gunned down by a bullet to the back of the head as he exited the airplane from Taipei at Manila airport. Aquino told me he was wearing a bullet proof vest and that he would not be 'paralyzed by inaction.' 'If my time has come - so be it.' Aquino told me. The video here, out of synch and of poor quality is an edit of my tapes of that day: the last few minutes in the life of Aquino. The Aquino story formed part of my reporting life in the 1980's. I later covered the 'Yellow Power Revolution' of the current President's mother Cory, a revolution which led to her ascendency to the Presidency less than three years after 'Ninoy's' death.

• Category

  • Education

• License

  • Standard YouTube License