Ninoy Aquino statue blocked by tent for Marcos rally in Tarlac City

The monument of the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in Tarlac City was covered amid the campaign rally of the Marcos-Duterte tandem.

On Saturday, presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, wooed residents in Tarlac City for Eleksyon 2022.

Aquino’s monument was partially covered as a tent was placed for the campaign rally.

GMA News Online asked the Marcos camp for comment regarding the matter but it has yet to reply as of posting time.

Meanwhile, when asked by reporters to comment on the matter, Tarlac City Mayor Cristy Angeles said: “Pabayaan na natin ‘yung mga bumabatikos. It’s time for forgiveness and healing. Magu-unite tayo.”

Angeles also emphasized the warm welcome residents gave Marcos.

“Nakita naman natin ang mainit na pagtanggap, pagsalubong sa kanya. Ganyan namin kamahal BBM… Buong Tarlac ganyan din, mainit din ang pagtanggap,” Angeles said.

Senatorial candidate Gilbert Teodoro, who is part of the UniTeam slate, said he was not familiar with the incident yet.

He, however, stressed that the UniTeam always gives “respect with our words to everybody.”

“The UniTeam is not here to disparage anybody and I’m sure if there was such an incident, this would be inadvertent. Our message is one of unity and mutual respect so if there was an inadvertent happening then it wasn’t on purpose. We’re so busy on our message of oneness and unity,” Teodoro, a former congressman of Tarlac, told reporters in Paniqui town.

Asked to comment on speculations of “historical revisionism” amid the campaign, he replied, "You ask the people whether that’s historical revisionism or not. After EDSA, there was revisionism."

“Now the people are just doing what they feel will bring back their lives, will bring the Philippines forward, and not history and not turning accusations left and right. We’re here for the future, a forward-looking agenda for the people. That’s what we’re here for,” he said.

Aquino was a known critic of the Marcos Sr. regime. He was assassinated on August 21, 1983 upon arrival at the then-Manila International Airport after his three-year exile in the United States.

The opposition senator’s death sparked protests which led to the first EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986, during which the Marcos family fled the Philippines for Hawaii.

Aquino’s wife, Corazon, was then catapulted to the presidency.

Endorsement

In a separate ambush interview, Tarlac Governor Susan Yap said she would endorse the UniTeam.

Yap, however, clarified that it was her personal decision and not that of her party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

The NPC is chaired by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, a vice presidential candidate who is running alongside Senator Panfilo Lacson. — DVM/VBL, GMA News