Fact check: Late Senate President Jovito Salonga said Ninoy Aquino is not a ‘hero’

- A photo about the supposed claim of late Senate President Jovito Salonga has been circulating on social media

- The post claimed that Salonga said late Senator Ninoy Aquino did not do any heroism act and was not a “hero”

- However, it has been reported that the claim was false and misleading the public

- Jovito Salonga was the 14th Senate President of the Philippines who passed away on March 10, 2016

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A photo has been circulating on social media after claiming that the late Senate President Jovito “Jovy” Salonga said that late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was not a hero.

However, KAMI learned that the claim was misleading.

In a report by Rappler, the post also mentioned that Aquino was a “mere ambitious politician” and that the late senator did not do any good or heroism act for the Filipinos.

"Senator Jovito Salonga: Ninoy Aquino Jr. was a mere ambitious politician nothing in his mind only his desire and eagerness to become president by all cause, but the truth, he has not done any good and heroism act for the Filipino people and country to call him hero,” it read in the caption.

The post showed a photo of Salonga with a text which read: “Ninoy is not a hero… Ever since he became a politican, he did nothing but talk… talk… and talk… and talk… and talk.”

Rappler reported that Salonga did not say such statements. However, the quote was from an opinion stated in a blog site.

It was published in August 2016 by the blog site “ninoyistraitor.blogspot.com” with a title “Ninoy is a traitor. Not a hero.”

The author cited Salonga in the latter part of the blog and claimed that the late senate president supposedly said that only a small population of the Philippines joined the EDSA revolution.

“Ninoy Aquino is not a hero, he died for his ambition. This man has not done anything for the country except to talk, blame and destroy the reputation of President Marcos,” it read in the blog, without attributing to Salonga.

Rappler also conducted a reverse image search and discovered that the photo of Salonga that was used in the post was used by the Official Gazette on March 10, 2016, for a memorial tribute to him. It was credited to the late senate president’s son, Steve Salonga.

Steve also spoke with Rappler regarding the matter. “[it is] not true for several reasons. [He] never spoke like that about anyone, even his rivals. He was very fond of Ninoy who he called bunso. He defended Ninoy in various legal cases throughout their careers. A quick search through newspaper archives would reveal all these facts,” Steve said.

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Jovito “Jovy” Reyes Salonga is a Filipino lawyer and statesman. He was also a known opposition leader during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos. He was the 14th Senate President of the Philippines. Salonga passed away on March 10, 2016.

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Source: KAMI.com.gh