The Chinese believe that the “ghost month” – the period that usually covers the last few days of July and most of August – is a period of bad luck, and thus people are advised not to make weighty and/or important personal decisions during this period. Coincidentally, every August, we are reminded of the death anniversaries of two figures who, until now, are still very much venerated in Filipino society, and who both just happened to die within the period considered “ghost month”. We are talking about Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., and his wife, Corazon “Cory” Aquino, and their death anniversaries are August 21 and August 1, respectively.
It was the death of Ninoy that catapulted Cory the presidency almost three years after his assassination, during the time of the first People Power event in EDSA. Then, when Cory died, her son, Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino rode on the wave of sympathy and outpouring of grief in order to win the presidency. Or, as fellow GRP writer Gogs would say, “pole vault over his mother’s corpse” to plant his bum on that comfy seat in Malacañang.
Fast forward to this year. On July 28, 2014, BS Aquino delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA). It was noted in the social media discussion that this particular SONA seemed less combative (although he was still defending the Disbursement Acceleration Program, DAP for short), and instead of outright blaming the past administration again, this time he gave his critics a piece of his mind (could he spare it?)
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Of particular interest, though, are a few sentences he uttered towards the end of that hour-or-so long speech:
Will there be a day when I go onstage, for work, and—will someone manage to plant a bomb? Will the dark schemes of those who want to bring us back to the wrong way of doing things finally succeed?
When that day comes, and my second life comes to an end, will I be able to say things will be ok?
…which, as GRP webmaster benign0 points out, is seemingly what is driving presidential sister Kris Aquino to make an appeal to Filipinos regarding BS Aquino’s potential martyrdom:
“He [Noynoy] can’t do it on his own. We need to stand by him and give him strength. Please pray with us also that he stays alive,” Kris told guests after the Holy Mass held Friday at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.
And it just so happens that I wrote previously about what could happen if BS Aquino were to suddenly die before 2016, for whatever reason:
When it comes to the higher cause(s) of Hacienda Luisita, and the maintenance of the Aquino-Cojuangco clan’s political relevance to the Filipino landscape, no price is too high to pay. This is most likely true for any political dynasty here in the Philippines, but all the more so for them. Why do you think they’re throwing all their “mature” offspring into politics, such as Kris and Bam?
The shocking (or not) reality, however, reveals itself in light of the bigger picture:
After 2014, Noynoy is expendable.
Remember, the Aquinos have utilized the sympathy vote for a dead family member twice already. Given the highly emotional nature of the Filipinos, there’s no reason it will not work a third time in the future.
When Ninoy died, Cory ran for president and won.
When Cory died, Noynoy ran for president and won.Given that Noynoy is not in the best of health, Filipinos are now faced with the following scenario:
If Noynoy dies before the 2016 elections, Kris will run for the presidency and win.
Take note of the words “have utilized the sympathy vote for a dead family member twice already” – this is what analysts here in the Philippines like to call necropolitics.
The way death defines the Aquino-Cojuangcos’ political life is not just limited to capitalizing on the death of one of their own; it also encompasses the number of deaths of civilians that can be attributed to their administration’s incompetence or neglect, and those that were allegedly killed in order to protect their interests.
I also wrote back in March 2013 about how BS Aquino’s incompetence is undeniably a cause of death among Filipinos:
Let’s do the obvious numbers:
8 hostages dead in the mishandled Mendoza hostage incident in 2010.
At least 1,500 dead in the mismanaged response to typhoon Sendong last December 2011
At least 1000 confirmed deaths in another mismanaged calamity response, this time with Typhoon Pablo last December 2012.
Two years and counting that the Aquino administration has failed to curb human rights abuses. Statistics vary, but the newspaper Sunstar is quoted on November 29, 2012, that 114 is the number of extrajudicial killings that have taken place ever since BS Aquino became president.
And now, at least 12 dead in the clashes that occurred between Malaysian forces and the forces of the Sultanate of Sulu. The number is only going to go up from here.
Let us also remember that as a congressman in 2004, BS Aquino simply dismissed as illegal the strike at Hacienda Luisita that later resulted in at least 7 dead and hundreds injured.
Consider the time passed between March 2013 and now, and we’ll find that the incident with the Taiwanese fishermen, the mismanaged responses to the earthquake in Cebu and Bohol and, most especially, to Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) have only served to add to the list of deaths that are attributable to BS Aquino.
As I also pointed out, BS Aquino’s incompetence has also killed institutions. The idea of three co-equal branches of government does not sit well with someone like BS Aquino who does not respect institutions and considers everything personal. Before the pork barrel and the DAP were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, BS Aquino did not put an end to the patronage politics that is the most striking form of corruption here; in fact, the practice enlarged under his term because, apparently, it is the only way he could get what he wanted from Congress. With regards to the DAP, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that BS Aquino did not like, and as a result, he has tried to get them “to see things his way” too.
I don’t understand how BS Aquino can say that the Philippines is open for business when his government seems very inept at solving the persistent problems with infrastructure and expensive but inefficient utilities. Investors consider those a minimum requirement for doing business anywhere; they must be reliable, and they must not be a burden on potential entries into the local business scene. Then again, BS Aquino comes from the oligarchy who would like to protect its own vested interests. Unfortunately, with this kind of approach to handling the economy, his government is presiding over a slow and painful death to it.
Because BS Aquino considers everything personal, there is one thing that he seemingly would only be too happy to see die: all dissenting opinion. All roads point to it; his SONA included that jab at his critics. His laments against what he considers “negativism” in the media are many, and well known. BS Aquino, no matter how many times he says he will ignore his critics, quite simply just can’t. He wants to hear only good news and praises and support from them. It’s not hard to surmise that because of that, he will not see any need to improve beyond his current level of competence – abysmal.
What does it tell us about the Aquino-Cojuangco clan that death seemingly defines their political life? Quite simply, it indicates that underneath all that fluff, there is very little substance. You can call them either very dastardly or very opportunistic, but capitalizing on the death (or even potential death) of one of their own seemingly points to a sort of desperation. Hacienda Luisita, after all, is THE prize to end all prizes for them. They lose that, what else do they have?
And the deaths that have been a result of their clan members’ incompetence and selfish interests? Why should they care when Filipinos will keep worshiping them for one of their own supposedly “restoring democracy”? If I were a haciendero, I too, would consider such deaths inconsequential. After all, I did not die, right?
It is seriously time for the Filipinos to evaluate with a clear and rational approach the place that the Aquino-Cojuangco clan holds in their psyche.
А вы, друзья, как ни садитесь, все в музыканты не годитесь. – But you, my friends, however you sit, not all as musicians fit.
All the Aquinas are extreme liberal progressive with no regard for rule of law. They are criminals and will always screw people to enrich themselves.
I’m pretty much a liberal in the social sense; let me tell you, Aquino is no liberal in my perspective.
In the filipino kleptocracy, words like “liberal” and “progressive” seem to have little meaning. It is like looking at a banner which pictures Joseph Estrada that is emblazoned with the caption “Good Governance.” The terms just don’t seem to apply. Perhaps politicians should be measured by a “greed scale”, instead.
“Guter Tag…Gefallener Engel…” “Sterben Aquinos!!!” It’s in German folks…
It is stupidity; by using death or dying to gain SYMPATHY for the Filipino people. These Aquino/Cojuangco families have done a lot of the causes of sufferings/death to our people. Kris Aquino, cannot even straighten her own life. How many husbands, she had? How many “kabits” or lovers, she had? Can she straighten the situation and economy of our country? She is as stupid , as her brother…
Always crying Crocodile Tears…where she is good at…
If they want to die …they can just go to West Africa and expose themselves to the dreaded Ebola Virus…it will do good for the country; if they are both gone…we all can rebuild our lives and the country…
Death helps define Noynoy because in life he has done nothing. All you yellow tards that will flame me, just review his 2010 campaign that you all bought as fact and relevant.
IDK but this Kris woman has said these things? How fantastically morbid.Is the guy sick? I have also heard the Kris woman plagiarize herself with things like ‘Kinder, gentler…’, as well as other quotes right out of the Reagan/G.H.W. Bush/G.W. Bush playbook that it is just sickening to the ears….but the idiots listening to her do not realize that she is plagiarist and so somehow think she is saying something profound…and that is just as sickening ,if not ,worse!
Sadly, the country is just FUCKED! with scumbags masquerading as honorable leaders what can anyone expect?
The fifth SONA of President Aquino shows how emotionally and mentally weak he is. The flow of his speech indicates his lack of understanding of the true state of our nation. He boasts about his accomplishments, as if he really fulfilled something great. Because of the president‘s management style, what we have is divided nation. Those who benefitted from DAP, hails Pnoy as good president. And who are those people? Just a few lucky ones. While the rest of the nation suffers under a regime of fantacy. We,as a nation never learn a lesson about our past and allowed a weak and crazy president to run our country, just because his mother died.
Satanism’s suitable targets for human sacrifice:
The only people Satanists will consider targeting with such a sacrificial hex is a totally noxious and deserving individual who by his reprehensible behavior, practically cries out to be destroyed. ” Will there be a day when I go onstage, for work, and—will someone manage to plant a bomb? Will the dark schemes of those who want to bring us back to the wrong way of doing things finally succeed?
When that day comes, and my second life comes to an end, will I be able to say things will be ok?” -Pres. Pnoy Aquino
In fact, Satanists see the elimination of such obnoxious influences as something of a duty. These people are emotional leeches, dragging everyone else down to feed their starved egos. Moreover, Satanists stress responsibility for behavior. Actions have consequences. When people behave badly, their victims should take steps so as not to be further subjugated to the abuse rather than turning the other cheek and making excuses for the offender. As the eleventh rule of the Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth states, “When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.”
“If the rest of your family’s dead, how long do you expect to survive?” – Sherlock Holmes
To say that Aquino is responsible for ALL the deaths attributable to an earthquake or typhoon is just in-correct and ridiculous. An accusation like that seems petty and vindictive. Want someone to blame? Blame yourself for ignoring the warnings and not getting out of dodge-city soon enough.Blaming others for your ‘PERSONAL’ failures in life is the MARK OF A LOSER.
His ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION and the ENTIRE GOVERNMENT is at fault.To SIMPLY blame one person is to ignore the general incompetence of the ENTIRE COUNTRY’s infrastructure…and is to seek out a scapegoat.
AND How does this administration stack up to former administrations? Did any ever face a ‘Super-Typhoon’? and did other administrations suffer human losses due to earthquakes/typhoons/natural disasters? and if so, HOW MANY?
It is not the point of this comment to alleviate all blame on BS AQUINO 3rd,NO. but scapegoating one Man for the failure of many is ludicrous. It is the entire countries fault for the failures. The Filipino people blame someone else for everything,this includes Aquino as well, BUT when will the people realize that a massive restructuring of the way the country is operating needs to take place? Starting wit the thievery. Throwing some people in REAL JAILS with REAL SENTENCES would be a good start.
and if another laughable ‘Blue-ribbon’ committee is allowed to happen? Well then, Filipino’s should all just blame themselves for this massive failure of the state.
All the same.
Only country in the world where criminality is legalized and being honest is considered a crime.
Rotten to the core.
@ YAWN, it is mondo bizzarro! did Aquino actually say the part about being assasinated in the SONA speech? beyond bizzaro and it is as if to say “We must cherish our beloved Noynoy for he is ging to be taken from us by the wicked.”, as if he is not part of the wickedness.WHAT?
Truly one of,if not, the most retardedly screwed up places on earth. Thru the looking glass and then sideways: where black is white, white is black and everything is written backwards heirogliphics….WHAT THE FUCK?
In such a place, as FUCKED as it is, where could you even begin to make a change?
The Aquino Cojuangco clan is not only defined by death. Lies, deceit, conspiracy, treason also defines what they are today. The Philippine history is marred with instances of this clan doing their deeds. In the spirit of Noynoy’s own words, “matagal na po tayong niloloko ng harap-harapan ng ng pamilyang ito, simula sa mga ninununo nila hanggang ngayon”.
They have acquired their wealth through dubious means and will fight to keep it using the same. They have tricked the Philippine government and now they own the Hacienda Luisita, and they will keep fighting for it ….to the death. They are revising the history books to picture them as heroes while the truth is they have been screwing the filipino people for generations. These parasites to the country should be eliminated once and for all and all their lies and deceit be exposed to the people and for generations to come.
Down with the Banana Republic of Aquino Cojuangco?
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!!
and the same can be said for the likes of the Marcos clan. Recently an essay stated that the failings of the country were now owned by the Aquino-Cojuanco AS IF THE REST OF THEM SOMEHOW ESCAPE CULPABILITY?NO, SCUMBAGS WILL ALWAYS BE SCUMBAGS UNTIL THEY MAKE AMMENDS TO THE PEOPLE.
Anything short of total reversion to the ‘daang mutawid’ or whatever the ‘straight and narrow’ translates to in the language of the Filipino, is still unforgivable and should be dealt with accordingly.
But it will not be and that alone is the great weakness of the Filipino nation: The inability to look their thieving brothers in the eye and say:”You did it to yourself and now you must pay for your crimes against the people.”, just can not bring thmselves to do it.