Noynoy Aquino – A Leader in His Own Right

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Submitted by eman on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 6:09pm

December 8, 2009 · Filed under PERSONAL · Tagged leadership, Noynoy Aquino, philippine presidential elections 2010

by Roy Sangil,
President,
Association for the Socioeconomic Advancement of Pinoys, Inc (ASAP)

Noynoy Aquino is a leader who can lead the Filipino people toward social change through good governance, transparency, and honest leadership.

While Noynoy is known as a low profile son of President Cory Aquino and Ninoy, he is a leader in his own right and would stand out in times of crisis, which is a proven test of a leader.

Unknown to Filipinos, Noynoy was instrumental in the survival of government and democracy when, in November 1989, renegade soldiers wanted to seize the government and perpetuate themselves to power. It was the bloodiest coup d’etat staged by the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) and soldiers loyal to the Marcos administration. The coup attempt left 99 people dead and 570 wounded.

Noynoy would take an active role that would help in the eventual defeat of the coup plotters. For one, he knew the rapacity, anti-democratic and anti-people character of the coup plotters because during a previous coup, in 1987, he was ambushed by the coup plotters along Malacañang. Noynoy was hit by five bullets and three of his four escorts were killed protecting him. A bullet is still embedded in his neck. Moreover, the coup plotters would want to perpetuate themselves to power, declare Martial Law, and plunge again the people into oppression.

At the height of the 1989 coup, Noynoy would call people close to his father, Ninoy, to assemble a group to help crush the ongoing coup. These are the people whom he could trust and would prove crucial in defeating the rebels.

In the early morning of November 30, Noynoy called me and asked me to organize a group to crush the ongoing coup. I immediately called up Ret. Gen. Salvador Mison, Gen. Pete Navarro, Charlie Avila, Wilo Layug, Lingoy Alcuaz, Gerry Esguerra and Steve Psinakis.

The group met at the office of Gen, Jake Carbonell in Pasig. The group under the leadership of Gen, Mison was given authority by the Palace to recapture Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame. The order was given to Gen. Carbonell by Gen. Mison to attack Camp Aguinaldo.

The rest is history as Cory Aquino finished her term peacefully and the people elected Fidel Ramos as the next president.

This single action of Noynoy proved to all that he is a man of action. His decisiveness in taking an active role is worth noting when Philippine democracy was imperiled by forces who are loyal only to themselves and not the freedom and democracy that was hard won by the Filipinos through the peaceful EDSA Revolution.

But what was so interesting is that he did not boast of his role in crushing the coup. He simply hid this information and the nation never knew of his participation. This is the kind of leader that should be emulated by the Filipinos, particularly the youth. A leader that does not boast of his achievement. A leader who can lead in the worst crisis in government. This is Noynoy Aquino. A leader, and worthy to be the son of Ninoy and Cory Aquino.

~ Roy Sangil
http://noypipol.wordpress.com/2009/12/08/noynoy-aquino-a-leader-in-his-o...