MANILA, Philippines—Twenty-five years ago—on Aug. 31, 1983—the world through the wonders of electronic media witnessed a huge funeral procession that lasted for almost 12 hours.

This event was Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino’s “Final March with the People,” unprecedented in Philippine history and an event that will be forever etched in the minds of those who joined the procession.

When I covered the event for press icon Joe Burgos’ Ang Pahayagang Malaya and Tinig Ng Masa, two of the forerunners of the so-called mosquito press during martial law, I knew I was witnessing at close range history in the making. It was the people’s tribute to a man who bravely faced death to lead the crusade for the restoration of truth, justice, freedom and democracy that were snatched from the Filipinos when martial law was declared on Sept. 21, 1972.

Fateful homecoming

Despite threats and warnings, Ninoy—as he was fondly called by his family, relatives, friends, political colleagues, mass media and the Filipino masses—came home from Boston to the Philippines on Aug. 21, 1983 and was assassinated just a few minutes after he arrived at the international airport, now named in his honor.

Ten days after the treacherous murder of the most charismatic leader of the Opposition against the Marcos dictatorship, his mortal remains would be interred at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque City.

No less than Jaime Cardinal L. Sin, archbishop of Manila whose birthday also falls on Aug. 31, officiated at the requiem Mass at Sto. Domingo Church on Quezon Avenue in Quezon City. People had gathered as early as 5:30 a.m. to hear Mass on that day.

My wife Elizabeth and I had to go up the 6th floor of the De los Santos building fronting the church to take photographs of a historic event unparalleled in the nation’s history. With us were several members of the local media, foreign press correspondents, nuns and Ninoy sympathizers.

After Mass, Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, widow of the slain senator, and who would, three years later, become the country’s president, delivered a response while youngest child Kris gave a brief speech.

Cory’s response was punctuated by a long reverent silence, followed by thunderous applause while the people were deeply touched when Kris told her father: “I say ‘goodbye’ to you now, Dad. Thanks for all the happiness you have given us.”

From where we stood, we had a full view of Ninoy’s bier as it was placed on a 10-wheeler truck draped with black and bedecked with yellow ribbons, yellow chrysanthemums and sampaguita flowers.

We jotted down the words expressing the people’s sentiments contained in the numerous placards and streamers that mushroomed near the church and its vicinity. To cite just a few: “We love Ninoy … Hindi ka nag-iisa,” “We seek not violence but justice,” “Ninoy Aquino will always stay in our hearts and minds,” and “Justice for Aquino, Justice for All.”

From the moment the funeral march started at past 10 a.m., throngs of people swelled in every corner and intersection, especially in the Mabuhay (formerly Welcome) Rotunda at the boundary of Manila and Quezon City, Quiapo, Liwasang Bonifacio, the old Congress building on P. Burgos Street, Rizal Park, US Embassy, Roxas Boulevard and Osmeña Avenue (formerly South Superhighway). When the procession reached the Magallanes interchange in Makati, the mammoth crowd was estimated as close to 2.5 million.

At the Sucat interchange on South Luzon Expressway, thousands of people were waiting for the arrival of Ninoy until the funeral procession reached the final resting place of the icon of democracy whose famous words before he was assassinated were: “Filipinos are worth dying for!”

Crowd of three million

By the time the procession entered the memorial park, I would estimate that it reached about three million, not including the people who witnessed the passing of the procession in their respective areas. Indeed, it was history in the making!

And these people, with other growing adherents of the ideals of Ninoy Aquino, would almost three years later constitute the People Power Revolution on Feb. 22-25, 1986, that toppled Ferdinand Marcos and installed as president the widow of a man who would be president had martial law not been declared.

But the Edsa revolt is another story to write about.

The author was columnist and editorial board member of Ang Pahayagang Malaya while concurrently serving as editor in chief of Tinig ng Masa, Malaya’s sister daily broadsheet in Filipino, during the martial law regime and the years after the People Power Revolution. He is also the author of the book “Teacher Power.”