Benigno “hacienda luisita noynoy” Cojuangco-Aquino III seems to be a name that carries history. That is true. However, on what side and on which brand of history does the name Cojuangco-Aquino actually belongs. If someone hears the name Aquino, people tend to equate with the Kennedy’s of the United States. The Irish American Kennedy family is known for its wealth, scandals, philanthropic activities, and liberal leanings.
Here in the Philippines, the de facto Royal family (Aquino) seems to enjoy prestige and stature. Members of the family occupy top positions of the government and they can enter the political branches just because of their surname. During the 2004 Philippine Presidential Elections, different members of the Aquino family supported different presidential candidates. Theresa Aquino-Oreta, paternal aunt of Noynoy, supported Fernando Poe. Herminio Sanchez Aquino, a paternal granduncle of Noynoy, was the vice-president of Raul Roco. Corazon Aquino, mother of Noynoy, supported Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo but she withdrew her support when the election scandals broke out. Kris Aquino, sister of Noynoy, openly endorsed former Police Chief Panfilo Lacson. Only the evangelical but relatively unknown Eddie Villanueva receive no “Aquino” magic during the 2004 Philippine General Elections. The Aquino family’s influence in politics is widespread indeed.
International media pundits who only visited Boracay and local media personnel allied to the family portray the Aquinos as a family that brought down the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Words like justice, compassion, democracy, freedom, and unity are attached to anyone carrying the prestigious family name. However, the family has blood in its hand dating back almost a hundred years. Hacienda LuisitaMassacre is just one of them
The grand patriarch of the family is Noynoy’s grandfather and namesake Benigno Aquino Sr. He was one of the two vice-presidents of Jose Laurel, the president of the puppet Philippine government under the Japanese Occupation. He is the chairman of the treasonous KALIPABI (Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas) or the Organization in the Service of the New Philippines. He was later imprisoned in the infamous Sugamo prison in Tokyo along with the so called Grade-A Japanese war criminals. The Philippine government at that time asked his transfer to the Philippines to face treason charges. He later died prior to judgment. The Japanese Occupation lasted for three years but the atrocities are just too many to mention. The collaborators including Noynoy’s grandfather went with their lives unpunished. – see noynoy hacienda luisita