Today, the Ayala Museum is hosting the launch of an intriguing book titled “A Death Foretold: The Ninoy Aquino Assassination Remembered.” As I have the privilege of speaking at this event, I won’t spoil it by revealing too much. However, for those unable to attend, I wanted to share some additional thoughts on this project and why it holds significant value.
The title of the book, although seemingly a passing thought for the editors, strikes a chord of nostalgia for readers of a certain age. The 1980s were a time of “magical realism” in literature, where Gabriel García Márquez’s imaginative works filled the void left by our own writers of “Tropical Baroque” like Nick Joaquin. Many of us found solace and empathy in Márquez’s novels, such as “A Hundred Years of Solitude” and “The Autumn of the Patriarch,” which exuded a sickly sweet stench of decay that mirrored our own condition. However, it was the eerily prophetic “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” that truly resonated with us, as reality surpassed fiction with the political murder that defined a generation in 1983.
Last week, I discussed why it is crucial, on the 40th anniversary of Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino Jr.’s assassination, to reject the notion that the perpetrator remains unknown. To do so is to ignore how then President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. claimed responsibility for the murder, utilizing his powers to absolve the officers and enlisted men involved, as declared by his own investigative commission. Although only a few could be convicted according to the law, ending with the exile of Fabian Ver alongside the Marcoses, this highlights the purpose of political eliminations: rendering the law and its upholding institutions impotent and incapable.
In the book being launched today, over 130 individuals from diverse backgrounds and varying political beliefs share their perspectives on Aquino’s life before, during, and after those fateful 11 seconds of destiny. These moments, from the moment he disappeared from bystanders’ view in the Manila airport loading dock to the first gunshot heard, signified the transformation of a battle of wills between Aquino and Marcos into a fight for survival between Marcos and the Filipino people.
When it comes to witnesses who are convinced of their own certainty, we must remember that they are often unreliable. They can unintentionally deceive investigators or themselves, genuinely believing they are recounting the absolute truth. Thus, we rely on the power of science and forensics to uncover facts. However, we also turn to literature, compilation acts, reportage, and history to make sense of the past and gain a deeper understanding, recognizing the fallibility of witness memories.
While we may engage in amateur detective work, the purpose of sharing testimonies is not solely for the facts. As the author of “Chronicle of a Death Foretold” recounts when encountering the murdered man’s mother, each shard of memory is a complete mirror reflecting the one and only truth. Testimony becomes a near-sacred act of bearing witness, just as bearing false witness is a profanity.
The essence of this book, in my opinion, is not to solve the so-called mystery of the Aquino assassination through testimonies. Rather, it aims to capture Aquino’s journey in the eyes of those who observed it indifferently, admirably, or hostilely at the time, or those who have since shifted their attitudes. For those interested, find Good Intentions Publishing on Facebook and order your copy of the book today.
Email: [email protected]; Twitter: @mlq3.
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