Both Cory’s Birthday (1933) and her son, Noynoy‘s, umpteenth Waterloo, the Mamasapamo, Maguindanao Massacre (2015), fall on January 25.
Since I first met then Senator (former Tarlac Governor and Concepcion Mayor) Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino y Aquino and his wife, Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco (y Sumulong) Aquino, in August of 1972 in their Times St., West Triangle, District II, Quezon City, home, my family has always taken note of and prayed for her on her birthday.
During the Martial Law years (1972–1981/86), I became closer to the Aquinos than to the Roxases, although the Cubao (Negros) Aranetas and the Capiz Roxases are my distant relatives on my mother’s side.
Ninoy And Gerry Roxas
Before Martial Law, I and my close activist and political associates were closer to Senator Gerardo "Gerry" Roxas y de Leon than to Ninoy.
My two best friends, Gerry Esguerra and Herman "Mentong" Tiu Laurel had worked with him at his P. Tuason, Cubao, residence. Gerry and Ninoy were the President and Secretary General of the Liberal Party. Both of them were competing for the November 1973 Presidential Elections.
Before Ninoy was assassinated, I became a friend of Ninoy’s sisters, Mila Albert and Lupita Kashiwahara.
Cojuancos And Aquinos
However, sometime in November 1983, maybe on the 30th, I was introduced to Congressman Jose "Peping" Cojuangco y Sumulong by Congressman Jose "Apeng" Yap (both of them had been and would again become Tarlac Congressmen from different districts {Ilocano and Pampango districts respectively} at Peping’s San Lazaro Jockey Club horse stables.
From then until 1989, I would become closer to the Cojuangcos than the Aquinos. Simultaneously to my position as Deputy Secretary General for Luzon, I also served as the general deputy to the PDP Laban Secretary General.
In the first weekend of February 1982, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino or Pilipino Democratic Party (PDP) was organized in a Private Club in Cebu City.
27-Man Council
(After this Founding Congress or Convention, annual assemblies were held: 1983 – Cagayan de Oro, 1984 – Ateneo de Manila University Grade School Cafeteria, Loyola Heights, Quezon City, 1985 – Bohol.) A 27-man National Council was constituted.
Cagayan de Oro Mayor Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel, Jr., was elected as the first rotating Chairman. Senator Lorenzo ‘Tany" Tanada and Cebu Assemblyman/Congressman Antonio ‘Tony’ Cuenco also served as rotating chairmen.
Atty. Sammy Occena from Davao City, was elected National Secretary General.
Three Deputy Secretary Generals were elected from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, namely, me, Ribomapil "Dodong" Holganza (born 1935, died January 2015) and Wencelito "Wency" Andanar (father of Secretary Martin Andanar).
The Merging
Within a year, the PDP and Ninoy’s Regional (NCR) Party for the April 1978 Interim Batasang Pambansa (IBP) regionwide elections, had merged.
That is the reason why I sought out Cong Peping after the Ninoy Assassination.
During a first quarter, 1984, PDP–Laban National Council Meeting in Cebu City, our NCR/Luzon core group succeeded in having Cong Peping elected Secretary General in absentia.
After Atty. Sammy Occena, IBP Assemblyman/Atty. Zafiro "Zaf" Respiccio had been elected Secretary General. In 1985, future Senator Jose "Joey" Lina replaced me as Deputy Secretary General for Luzon.
PDP-Laban Evolves
After the first Senatorial (24 Senators were elected simultaneously in both the May 1987 and 1992 National Elections.) and Congressional Elections in May 1987, Speaker Ramon V. Mitra and Congressman Peping Cojuangco organized the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), fully intending that the PDP–Laban be integrated in it.
However, Senator Nene Pimentel and Makati OIC Mayor Jejomar Binay y Cabauatan, maintained the PDP Laban as a separate party. (This was decided in a party convention or general assembly held at the Philippine Columbian in Quirino Ave. Ext. in Manila.
As LDP president, Speaker Mitra appointed me as the Chief Intelligence Officer of the party.
December 1 Coup
This may have led to my predicting the Friday, December 1, 1989, coup, which in turn led to Cory firing me as the NTC Commissioner in mid-November 1989.
On February 2, 1987, the Cory Constitution was ratified.
It was completed by the 48 - man Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986 and presented on October 15 to PCCA.
Bridge Over San Juan
On February 4, 1899, US Private William Walter Grayson started the 1899-1901 Filipino American War by firing upon and killing a Katipunero.
The site used to be identified on the bridge over the San Juan River on N. Domingo St., San Juan City.
However, on February 4, 2004, the National Historical Institute, transferred its marker to the corner of Sociego and Silencio Sts., Santol, Sampaloc, Manila. [My classmate, Lito Anzures, lived at the corner of Sociego and Magsaysay/Santa Mesa Blvd. My eye doctor, Dr. Carlos Sevilla lived on Silencio St. ]
(Next week: The Friday, February 7, 1986 Snap Election and EDSA I.)