Bam Aquino: ‘Trolls at work to undermine Aquino legacy’

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV lamented yesterday the existence of efforts to undermine the Aquino legacy, including that of his late uncle and aunt – former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino III and former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino.

The issue came up as Aquino visited yesterday the Carmelite Monastery in Barangay Mabolo in Cebu City that took in and protected Cory and her youngest daughter Kris for several days before the bloodless revolution on Feb. 25, 1986.

Aquino earlier told The STAR that trolls were at work to malign them and that educating the citizenry is the best defense against misinformation, especially on social media.

Ninoy and Cory are considered the country’s democracy icons. Cory, who continued the fight for the Philippines’ freedom following Ninoy’s assassination in 1983, was catapulted to the presidency after the people’s revolution on EDSA in 1986.

Aquino, who is seeking reelection under the opposition coalition banner Otso Diretso, said efforts to destroy his “Tita Cory” will be in vain because she is “well loved,” especially in Cebu.

Aquino relived the journey of his aunt before the EDSA revolution that ousted the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the country.

According to Aquino, he got a chance to talk to the Carmelite sisters, some of whom still remember the time when they gave refuge to the former president.

“This convent is very, very special to us because they gave refuge to Tita Cory back in the 80s,” he said after the visit. “A number of them still remember that time, how the sisters helped her.”

Aquino recalled that he and his mother Melanie were in Manila at that time of the EDSA revolution and decided to join the people gathering at the historic avenue.

The country will celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the EDSA people power revolution on Monday, a national holiday.