Moving Ninoy Aquino holiday unlawful — Lagman

Metro Manila, Philippines — A minority lawmaker at the House of Representatives has flagged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s decision to move the commemoration of Ninoy Aquino's death anniversary, saying it did not follow a 2007 law.

In a statement on Friday, Aug. 16, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said the death of democracy icon and former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. "must be celebrated on the day of his assassination which falls on August 21."

Marcos signed on Thursday a proclamation that would move the celebration from Aug. 21 (Wednesday) to Aug. 23 (Friday).

"The change of date in Ninoy Aquino’s death celebration this year is obviously in violation of the law as it should have been proclaimed by the President six (6) months ago," argued Lagman, president of the Liberal Party.

He was referring to Republic Act 9492 or the "Act Rationalizing the Celebration of National Holidays."

"In the event the holiday falls on a Wednesday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday of the week," the law stated. "If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on the Monday that follows."

It also provided that for movable holidays, the "President shall issue a proclamation, at least six months prior to the holiday concerned, the specific date that shall be declared as a nonworking day."

Marcos' Proclamation 665 also cited the law in moving the celebration of Ninoy Aquino Day to "provide for a longer weekend thereby promoting domestic tourism."

But Lagman said "no holiday economics or domestic tourism boost can hold a candle to Ninoy’s heroism."

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"The dates of national memorials must not be changed to dilute its significance and accommodate revisionism," he said.

"It is in the same manner that we cannot not change the dates of Christmas Day on December 25, New Year’s Day on January 1, the culmination of the 4-day EDSA revolution on February 25, Labor Day on May 1 and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8," he added.

Ninoy Aquino was assassinated by a lone gunman on Aug. 21, 1983 on the tarmac of the then Manila International Airport. Aquino was among the top opposition figures against the rule of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.