Former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza is urging Filipinos to remember the significance of August 21 in Philippine history—a day to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.’s assassination.
“This is the date when two of the most important events in our history took place — the infamous Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971, and the murder of Senator Ninoy Aquino in 1983,” he said.
Atienza, who also served as General Manager of the National Housing Authority during the presidency of Aquino’s widow Corazon, was present in the Plaza Miranda bombing.
He recounted that the bombing marked the start of a dark period in our country’s history, with the declaration of Martial Law soon after and the rise of the dictatorship, and exactly 12 years later, Aquino died on the same date.
“On this day, millions of Filipinos were awakened from their dark slumber. They began to rise up as one and fought to remove the dictatorship, leading to the bloodless People Power Revolution, where we regained our freedom and democracy,” said Atienza.
