'Big difference': Liberal Party rejects Sara's Ninoy Aquino comparison
MANILA, Philippines — The Liberal Party rejected Vice President Sara Duterte's invocation of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. while expressing fears for her safety before posting bail, saying the slain opposition leader returned to to the Philippines in 1972 confront dictatorship, not avoid accountability.
In a social media post on September 5, the Liberal Party said Aquino's actions were fundamentally different from Duterte's situation.
"Malaking-malaki ang pagkakaiba, Inday," the party said. (There's a very big difference, Inday.)
Duterte brought up Aquino's 1983 assassination Saturday as she hesitated to enter the Quezon City Hall of Justice, where she was set to post bail on three counts of grave threats.
Standing near a staircase and pointing to the number of armed personnel around the building, Duterte asked one of her lawyers: "Alam mo ba si Ninoy Aquino namatay sa hagdanan? Sa sobrang dami ng baril dito ngayon." ("Did you know Ninoy Aquino died on the stairs? There are so many firearms here right now.")
"I do not feel safe. Pakiramdam ko papatayin nila ako," Duterte said. ("I do not feel safe. I feel like they are going to kill me.")
The Liberal Party rejected the comparison, pointing to the circumstances surrounding Aquino's return from exile.
"Si Ninoy, umuwi sa Pilipinas para ipaglaban ang demokrasya at panagutin ang diktadura. Hindi para takasan ang pananagutan," the party said. ("Ninoy returned to the Philippines to fight for democracy and hold the dictatorship accountable, not to evade accountability.")
Aquino, one of the most prominent opponents of then-President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., returned from exile in the United States on Aug. 21, 1983. He was assassinated shortly after arriving at Manila International Airport, which was later renamed after him.
Duterte later posted P360,000 bail, or P120,000 for each of the three counts of grave threats she is facing.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 issued the arrest warrant after finding probable cause to proceed with the case.
The charges stem from Duterte's remarks during a November 2024 online press conference in which she said she had instructed someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed.
Duterte has repeatedly said she fears for her safety and that of her family, alleging harassment and surveillance by government authorities since 2023.
The Philippine National Police, however, has said Duterte had not reported threats against herself or her family and that police had not monitored any incident posing a danger to them.
The Liberal Party was among the staunchest critics of Duterte's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who launched a widespread and bloody "war on drugs" during his administration.
- Latest
- Trending
