Aquino Assassination 1983

For Educational and historical uses only. On August 21, 1983, opposition leader Senator Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino Jr. attempted to end a four year exile and return to politics in the Philippines. An opponent of President Ferdinand Marcos since the late 1960's, Aquino felt it was time to challenge an aging and ailing Marcos again. Jim Laurie was the last person to interview Aquino before he was gunned down by a bullet to the back of the head as he exited the airplane from Taipei at Manila airport. Aquino said: “If it is my fate to die by an assassin’s bullet, so be it. But I cannot be petrified by inaction or fear. I cannot stay in a corner.” The video here, out of synch and of poor quality is an edit of my tapes of that day: the last few minutes in the life of Aquino. The Aquino story formed part of this reporters life in in the turbulent 1980's.