Ninoy Aquino 26th Death Anniversary: The Undelivered Speech
Today, August 21, 2009, as we commemorate the Ninoy Aquino 26th Death Anniversary, everyone is encourage to celebrate the “Araw ng Dilaw”, news from abs-cbnnews.com.
This day will also be a day to honor the memory of the late former President Corazon Aquino, who died last August 1 because of cardiac arrest due to complication of her colon cancer.
On schedule, a mass offering was held at Don Bosco Chapel in Makati in the morning, and members of Aquino family are present. Motorist are also encouraged to turn on their hazard signal lights between 6 and 7 pm to spread what the foundation of Ninoy and Cory calls the “yellow spark”
Last 26 years ago, Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. chose to leave have a peaceful life in America and return to his homeland despite of threats to his life. He was expected to deliver a speech upon his return to the Philippines but he was unable to do so because he was killed at the Manila International Airport.
Many Filipinos joined hand and hand in the funeral march amid the fear during the President Ferdinand Marcos regime. Then three years later, Corazon Aquino shined in EDSA and lead the People Power.
Now please see and read the entire Ninoy Aquino’s Undelivered Speech, which was published in a pamphlet form last September 1, 1983 by Human Development Research and Documentation office of the La Ignaciana Apostolic Center as Human Society No. 21. This was entitled “A Testimony by Ninoy”.
The nation-wide rebellion is escalating and threatens to explode into a bloody revolution. There is a growing cadre of young Filipinos who have finally come to realize that freedom is never granted, it is taken. Must we relive the agonies and the blood-letting of the past that brought forth our Republic or can we sit down as brothers and sisters and discuss our differences with reason and goodwill?
I have often wondered how many disputes could have been settled easily had the disputants only dared to define their terms.
So as to leave no room for misunderstanding, I shall define my terms:
1. Six years ago, I was sentenced to die before a firing squad by a Military Tribunal whose jurisdiction I steadfastly refused to recognize. It is now time for the regime to decide. Order my IMMEDIATE EXECUTION OR SET ME FREE.
I was sentenced to die for allegedly being the leading communist leader. I am not a communist, never was and never will be.
2. National reconciliation and unity can be achieved but only with justice, including justice for our Muslim and Ifugao brothers. There can be no deal with a Dictator. No compromise with Dictatorship.
3. In a revolution there can really be no victors, only victims. We do not have to destroy in order to build.
4. Subversion stems from economic, social and political causes and will not be solved by purely military solutions; it can be curbed not with ever increasing repression but with a more equitable distribution of wealth, more democracy and more freedom, and
5. For the economy to get going once again, the workingman must be given his just and rightful share of his labor, and to the owners and managers must be restored the hope where there is so much uncertainty if not despair.
On one of the long corridors of Harvard University are carved in granite the words of Archibald Macleish:
“How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms; by truth when it is attacked by lies; by democratic faith when it is attacked by authoritarian dogma. Always, and in the final act, by determination and faith.”
I return from exile and to an uncertain future with only determination and faith to offer — faith in our people and faith in God.
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maligayang araw ng dilaw sa iyo crisiboy… ^_^
Truly this speech is breath-taking.However if this speech was delivered, a bloody civil war might have occured. Ninoy would have died for nothing. Our freedom from from Marcos’s regime would have not ended.
With this undelivered speech, we regained our freedom through the bloodless people power revolution. The death of Ninoy itself was the key to our freedom.
Mabuhay ang PINOY!
All I can say is that I’m proud to be FILIPINO.
As to Ninoy and Cory thanks for everything for your untiring sacrifices for our country the Philippines.
They must be given a due respect and importance in the Philippine history for being the keys of Philippine Democracy.