The Ninoy Aquino Assassination, Executive Clemency, And Political Expediency
The last of the Aviation Security Command troopers convicted for the 1981 assassination of Ninoy Aquino have walked out of Muntinglupa as free men, have paid their debt to society helped along by the grant of executive clemency, the unassailable prerogative of any incumbent, in this case Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
With her mom stricken with cancer, Kris Aquino, now the country’s most bankable TV veriety show host, reacted tearfully to the release of The Ninoy Ten.
But unassailable as presidential prerogative is, have the ends of justice really been served or was the act one of genuine clemency or simple political expediency.
Unheard from for was reaction was Ninoy’s sister, former Senator Tessie, who must still be busy settling into the Cabinet-level post to which she was appointed just last week.
And the alleged gunman of Ninoy, Rolandp Galman?
Well as the saying goes, dead men tell no lies.
