Dishonor to the name of slain hero

VANCOUVER – It was sad news from Manila that former Sen. Agapito “Butz” Aquino succumbed to lingering illness while hospitalized. He was 76. He was one of the moving spirits behind the August Twenty-One Movement (ATOM) that was organized in the aftermath of the treacherous murder of his brother, the late Sen.Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. on August 21, 1983.

Almost half of his life, Sen. Butz Aquino remained involved in ATOM activities to keep alive the memory of this event that triggered the country’s historic return to democracy, popularly called the February, 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. It was Sen. Butz, as we more fondly called him, who through ATOM mobilized “people power” to converge at EDSA in support of the military-led uprising against the late dictator, ex-President Ferdinand Marcos.

In an Aug. 21, 2009 anniversary story about ATOM published in BusinessWorld, Sen. Butz shared his fond recollection how ATOM was organized to continue waging the fight of the slain senator against the Marcos dictatorship. Sen.Butz formed ATOM along with then human rights lawyer Jejomar Binay, Antonio P. Gatmaitan, Wilfredo L. Enverga, Ramon B. Magsaysay Jr. and Arturo Macapagal.

Fast forward. Binay is now the country’s vice president; Gatmaitan became political analyst; Enverga became at one time governor of Quezon province and is now incumbent congressman; Magsaysay is back to private business after being senator; and Macapagal, half-brother of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, succumbed last week to prostate cancer.

Until he breathed his last three days ago, Sen.Butz did not miss the annual commemorative activities undertaken by ATOM. Through these years, he would lead ATOM in marking the death anniversary of his brother, except this year’s 32nd because he, too, is gone now.

His entry to politics, he always told us, was due to the sad fate that befell his brother, whose murder is still unsolved. The younger Butz was more of a movie actor who played character roles while Ninoy was already in politics. That’s why, he and fellow actor now Manila mayor, former President Joseph Estrada were very close to each other during their stint together in the Senate. But the street parliamentarian in Butz provided him the best experience when he became a true lawmaker for eight years, or two consecutive terms as senator.

Estrada and Senator Juan Ponce Enrile were the only “survivors” from the opposition candidates who won in the first senatorial elections following the ratification of the country’s 1987 Constitution. Estrada and Enrile joined the first batch of 24 senators voted into office while many newcomers like Butz won under the administration-backed senatorial ticket fielded by the late President Corazon Aquino.

Incidentally, it was also a sad day for Enrile despite having won his Supreme Court (SC) bail petition the other day. His lawyers in the pending plunder case at Sandiganbayan were still awaiting the service of the SC ruling for the release of Enrile. The 91-year-old has been in detention at the PNP General Hospital in QC while undergoing plunder trial for almost a year now. Enrile would have wanted to pay his last respects to his late colleague at necrological rites Wednesday at the Senate session hall and to resume duty as Senate minority leader again.

None of the incumbent senators other than Enrile was with Sen. Butz during the latter’s stint at the Senate. Enrile and Butz first became allies at EDSA, a friendship that grew during their Senate days together. Enrile was also Senate minority leader when he, Estrada, and Butz joined forces to oppose the extension of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement. They were the distinguished members of the so-called “Magnificent 12” who voted to abrogate the MBA, to the consternation of Mrs. Aquino.

Despite official appeals by Mrs. Aquino – and possible personal overtures – Sen.Butz stuck to his guns and ignored his sister-in-law’s imploring for senators to vote for MBA extension even after the President herself led the march in the streets from Malacañang to the Old Senate building near Manila City Hall to dramatize her support.

In paying tribute yesterday to the late senator, incumbent Senate president Franklin Drilon cited the “No” vote for the MBA extension by Sen. Butz almost cost the latter’s re-election in 1992. Butz landed 24th because he lost a huge block of voters from the affected areas of former American military facilities in Clark Airbase in Pampanga and in the erstwhile Subic Naval Base in Zambales.

After his second and last term at the Senate, he slid down to Congress and won in the former lone district in the city of Makati. He authored the law that created another congressional district in Makati.

While he was one of several presidential relatives in Congress and other positions in government of Mrs. Aquino, Sen.Butz was never once linked to any any alleged anomalies perpetrated by the so-called “Kamag-anak Inc.” While I was still pounding the beat at Malacañang, the only times I would see Butz were during official functions.

Another Aquino is now in Congress, Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, first cousin of P-Noy and a nephew of Sen. Butz. Like his late uncle during his days at the Senate, Sen. Bam is a neophyte and still learning the ropes. But to his credit, Bam has authored productive bills in the first learning years as a young lawmaker since being elected in May, 2013, no mean feat from the latest Aquino at the Senate.

Yes, it is now exactly 32 years ago today when the namesake father of President Benigno “Noy” Aquino III was killed by an assassin’s bullet at the tarmac of the old Manila International Airport.

Now renamed as Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in honor of President Aquino’s slain father, the terminal facilities located in Metro Manila are sadly giving him a bad name for the horrors that local and foreign passengers bear due to the poor condition of our country gateway. With barely three months before the country hosts this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit this November, the preparations for this event seem to be still at patchwork at the three NAIA terminals.

When we left Manila last Monday for a renewable energy study tour here in Vancouver, the centralized air-conditioning system at NAIA-2 could barely cool the entire terminal. Industrial fans were being used as back up, but by the time I cleared security after the immigration area, my shirt was wet with perspiration.

For his remaining stay in office of less than a year, President Aquino should do some dramatic changes at our country’s premier airport. Or P-Noy should just return NAIA to its old name rather than continue to dishonor the name of the slain hero.