Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. A longtime political opponent of President Ferdinand Marcos , Aquino had just landed in his home country after three years of self-imposed exile in the United States when he was shot in the head while being escorted from an aircraft to a vehicle that was waiting to transport him to prison.
Also killed was Rolando Galman, who was accused of murdering him. Aquino was elected to the Philippine Senate in and was critical of Marcos. He was imprisoned on trumped up charges shortly after Marcos's declaration of martial law.
In , he had a heart attack in prison and was allowed to leave the country two months later by Marcos' wife, Imelda. He spent the next three years in exile near Boston before deciding to return to the Philippines. Aquino's assassination is credited with transforming the opposition to the Marcos regime from a small, isolated movement into a national crusade. It is also credited with thrusting Aquino's widow, Corazon Aquino , into the public spotlight and her running for president in the snap election.
Although Marcos was officially declared the winner of the election, widespread allegations of fraud and illegal tampering on Marcos's behalf are credited with sparking the People Power Revolution , which resulted in Marcos fleeing the country and conceding the presidency to Mrs.
Although many, including the Aquino family , maintain that Marcos ordered Aquino's assassination, this was never definitively proven. An official government investigation ordered by Marcos shortly after the assassination led to murder charges against 25 military personnel and one civilian, all of whom were acquitted by the Sandiganbayan special court.
