The Dutertes’ Audacious Play: Twisting the Ninoy Narrative to Serve Their Agenda

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In an expected but still astounding display of political maneuvering, Sara Duterte and the loyalists of the Duterte Diehard Supporters (DDS) have attempted to walk back the glaringly deliberate comparison of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Their latest excuse? That the comparison merely alluded to the murder of Ninoy upon his return to the Philippines in 1983—and should not extend beyond that.

But any discerning observer would see the real subtext: the Dutertes are setting up Digong as a martyr.

A Political Chess Move, Not an Offhand Remark

This was no slip of the tongue, no off-the-cuff comment uttered in passing. It was a calculated move—Duterte-style. By invoking Ninoy’s name, they were not only attempting to reposition Digong’s image but also taking a direct jab at the Marcoses, their uneasy allies-turned-rivals.

They know the weight Ninoy’s assassination carries in Philippine history. It was the catalyst that triggered the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s dictatorship, culminating in the People Power Revolution of 1986. By tying Duterte’s current predicament—facing crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC)—to Ninoy’s fate, they aim to shape a narrative that paints him as a victim rather than a perpetrator.

But let’s not ignore the glaring irony here.

The Hypocrisy of the Duterte Camp

For years, the Duterte family and their supporters have viciously demonized Ninoy, the Aquinos, and everything associated with the post-Marcos democracy. They lumped all opposition under the pejorative "dilawan," a term they weaponized to discredit any voice that dared to challenge their rule. They ridiculed People Power, dismissed Ninoy’s sacrifice as self-serving, and branded the Aquino administration as the root of all the nation’s problems.

Yet now, with Duterte in the crosshairs of international justice, they have the audacity to co-opt the very legacy they sought to destroy. They are shamelessly adopting Ninoy’s martyrdom as a shield, hoping to deflect the damning accusations tied to Digong’s bloody drug war.

The Dutertes are not just twisting history—they are attempting to steal it.

The Dark Irony of the "Martyr" Narrative

Perhaps the most absurd part of this political gambit is how they attempt to use Ninoy’s name to allude to a wrongful killing—when Duterte’s legacy is inseparable from state-sponsored killings.

The name Duterte is synonymous with “tokhang” and extrajudicial killings (EJKs). The thousands who perished in the brutal anti-drug campaign were victims of a regime that treated human lives as collateral damage.

For the Duterte camp to suddenly cry martyrdom is the height of audacity.

They built their empire on violence, fear, and the erosion of democratic principles. Now, as the walls close in on them, they want to rewrite their story as one of persecution.

But the Filipino people, especially those who truly understand history, won’t be fooled so easily.

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