Ninoy’s killer buried as family cries for justice

MANILA, Philippines - Former Air Force master sergeant Pablo Martinez, who confessed to participating in the assassination of former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was buried yesterday as his family cried for justice over his death in an alleged road accident.

At least 40 cyclists joined the convoy of Martinez’s family from Villamor Airbase to the Heritage Park yesterday morning.

“We will miss the fond memories of my father. He never told us about the threats to his life,” his son, Air Force Staff Sergeant Diomedes Martinez, told The STAR.

Diomedes said he learned about the alleged death threats from a cyclist who regularly accompanied his father in cycling along Roxas Boulevard. The elder Martinez was the officer-in-charge of Air Material Savings and Loan Association Inc.’s Nichols branch.

Martinez was riding his mountain bike home along Roxas Boulevard when a Mitsubishi Montero (plate number UKO-577) driven by Philippine Airlines (PAL) account executive Henry Roque hit him at around 7:30 a.m. on May 5. The impact threw Martinez off the bike.

“But instead of stopping, the driver deliberately ran over my father, who was already lying on the road,” Diomedes said, citing the testimonies of at least three witnesses.

Roque reportedly sped away but was later apprehended by security guards in the area and turned over to the Parañaque police.

A day after the accident, Martinez died at the San Juan de Dios Hospital due to fractured ribs.

Diomedes said they never met Roque after the accident but somebody paid all the hospital bills incurred by his father.

“We are not after money. We want justice, that is why we are pursuing the case,” he said.

Diomedes said they want the reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property charge pending before the Parañaque prosecutor’s office to be upgraded to murder.

Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta said Martinez had implicated business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuanco in his affidavit when he confessed to participating in Aquino’s assassination. Cojuangco has vehemently denied the allegation.