Aquino honors six individuals for role in People Power

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino on Saturday honored five journalists, two of them posthumously, and a deceased US congressman for their roles in the People Power revolution 25 years ago.

Aquino posthumously honored Chino Roces, Teodoro Benigno and Stephen Solarz.  He also gave state honors to Fr. James Reuter, Nap Rama and Billy Esposo.

Roces was conferred the Order of Lakandula with rank of Supremo; Benigno, the Philippine Legion of Honor with rank of chief commander; and Solarz, the Philippine Legion of Honor with rank of chief commander.

Reuter was given the Philippine Legion of Honor with rank of chief commander; Rama, the Philippine Legion of Honor with rank of grand commander; and Esposo, the Philippine Legion of Honor with rank of commander.

“It wasn’t (Stephen Solarz).  It was all of you,” Solarz’s wife Nina told the audience that gathered in Malacañang for the awarding rites, another event in the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the People Power revolution that catapulted Aquino’s mother to the presidency in 1986.

“You are an inspiration to the people of the Middle East,” she added referring to the new version of People Power that recently started in a number of Arab states.