During the second senate investigation on fake news, Senator Bam Aquino told the committee that he was criticized by several pro-Duterte bloggers as a ‘cosplayer’ of his uncle former Senator Ninoy Aquino.
However, he said that he’s not affected by the criticisms that threw against him because he believed that his uncle Ninoy is considered as a ‘national hero’ in the Philippines.
“Si Usec. Badoy criticizes me for being a cosplayer of my uncle. I don’t mind to be honest because my uncle is a national hero so mabuti nga na idolo ko siya,” Bam Aquino said.
But several critics including ‘Maharlika’ said that what Bam Aquino said during the hearing is ‘fake news’.
“Bam Pagpag, nagpapakalat ng MALING IMPORMASYON sa mismong hearing ng FAKE NEWS sa senado. National hero daw ang kanyang uncle na si Ninoy.” Maharlika said in her post.
In a separate post, Asec. Mocha Uson also criticized Bam Aquino for boasting that his uncle is a national hero.
She said that if Ninoy Aquino really sacrificed his life for the Filipino nation, all of his efforts is now wasted if we will look at the present situation of the Philippines.
Pinagmamalaki ni Sen. Bam Aquino na idol nya daw ang tiyuhin nyang national hero na si Ninoy Aquino. Karapatan nya ito, at ito’y ginagalang natin. Pero sana naman hindi ito magtapos sa pagco-cosplay. Kasi kung totoong namatay para sa bayan si Ninoy, tila yata nasayang ang kanyang sakripisyo. Tatlong dekada mula ng binaril sya, asan na ang Pilipinas? Kamusta na ang mga Pilipino? Umunlad ba tayo? Ang mga ordinaryong Pilipino ang sasagot sa tanong na ito. At ang mas masakit pa, yung asawa, anak – at ngayon ang pamangkin naman – ang sumira sa pagtingin ng mga tao kay Ninoy Aquino.
Did you know, that Ninoy is not yet being proclaimed as national hero of the Philippines, even the popular figures who fought the Spanish colonizers?
An Inquirer article said that ‘No law nor President has ever proclaimed any Filipino an official national hero–not even the likes of Jose Rizal or Andres Bonifacio, both of whom are commonly referred to in history books as national heroes in their own right.’
National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Research, Publication and Heraldry Division also confirmed that the Philippines does not have a single, official national hero because no law has been passed to recognize a national hero.
According to the guidelines of the NHCP, Filipino heroes are defined as ‘those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom”
The National Heroes committee which tasked to recommend Filipino national heroes short-listed the following people after years of research:
- Jose Rizal
- Andres Bonifacio
- Emilio Aguinaldo
- Apolinario Mabini
- Marcelo H. del Pilar
- Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat
- Juan Luna
- Melchora Aquino
- Gabriela Silang
These are the criteria for being a national hero according to Historian Onofre D. Corpuz, one of the members of the National Heroes Committee:
- “Heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the nation’s freedom.”
- “Heroes are those who define and contribute to a system or life of freedom and order for a nation. [H]eroes are those who make the nation’s constitution and laws.”
- “Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation.”
The list expanded during the committee’s third meeting on Nov. 15, 1995 to include three more criteria, written by psychologist Alfredo Lagmay.
- “A hero is part of the people’s expression. But the process of a people’s internalization of a hero’s life and works takes time, with the youth forming a part of the internalization.”
- “A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations.”
- “The choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in history, but of the entire process that made this particular person a hero.”
What can you say about this? Do you consider Ninoy Aquino as a national hero? Share your thoughts below!
