A fallen leader
Aquino became famous for his gifts as a public speaker and for his brilliant mind, as well as his great indomitable spirit. He became the leading candidate for the presidency in 1973, when President Marcos was scheduled to leave office after completing the maximum two terms as president. Aquino’s ambition to be president was never realized, however, because President Marcos declared martial law (a state of emergency in which military authorities are given temporary rule). At the same time, Marcos began to transform the constitution, claiming supreme power and jailing his political opponents, including Aquino. Aquino was charged with murder, subversion (intention to undermine legal authority), and illegal possession of firearms. Although he denied the charges, Aquino was found guilty and was convicted by a military tribunal, or military court and sent to prison. During his time in prison, he was in solitary confinement, which also included no outside visitors. This time spent in isolation, Aquino uses it to reflect on his life. He reflected spiritually more than ever in his life without being bitter and within the state of mind and spirit that without surrendering one’s courage. After Aquino spent seven years and seven months in prison, he suffered a heart attack. He was scheduled to receive treatment from President Marcos doctor, but denied treatment and was then sent to the United States for an emergency bypass surgery. He remained in the U.S. for three years. He and wife Corazon Aquino and family were reunited once again. They lived in Boston, Massachusetts where Senator Aquino became a fellow at Harvard University’s Center for International Studies. In addition, he conducted research on how to restore democracies in countries around the world through peaceful means. Aquino believed in the power to contaminate one’s knowledge about another person’s courage and passion because it’s contagious.

In 1983, Aquino delivered a speech in Los Angels, California. Through a powerful and moving moment, he vows he will never enter the political arena. Even through his absence in politics, he declared his dedication to evoke the people of the Philippines that they can acquire freedom. Aquino evoked the people of the Philippines to awaken their senses that freedom is possible. Aquino remained in the United States as a refugee until returning to the Philippines in the same year he delivered the Los Angeles speech. Prior to his departure for the Philippines, a colleague of his warned him, “When you arrive off the plane, you will be shot!” A moment of silence fell between the two and Aquino responded, “Even if I were placed in a box, I will still go home because the Filipinos are worth dying for.” Upon arrival at the Manila International Airport, he was shot dead by an unidentified gunman.

People’s Power Revolution
Aquino was dedicated with indomitable spirit, to fight for justice and democracy. Stephen J. Solarz of the U.S. Congress (1974-1992) said of Ninoy Aquino’s indomitable spirit, “The triumph of People’s Power in the Philippines has been a source of enduring inspiration to millions of men and women who year for democracy in their own countries.
In 1986, the People’s Revolution was a turning point in world history. Because of the untimely death of Ninoy, the dormant longing of Filipinos for freedom erupted on February 25, 1986, the first-ever People Power EDSA Revolution, a bloodless revolution that has been witnessed by the entire world. The peaceful protest proved to the world that we could attain positive change in our country without shedding innocent bloods of our people. After the death of Ninoy Aquino, the rest of the world started to realize that if they do not build a democracy in Asian countries, people of other countries may not endure a kind of dictatorship. A quote from Aquino states, “Our job is to awaken our people from their lethargy. We must infuse them with the want to again become free.” He believed that everybody in the Philippines is capable of reaching freedom.