Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Assasination; 1983

[rastamanila 313]

I was in the 6th Grade when this happened. I'm also a newbie with handguns. Mr. Aquino's assassination is the equivalent of the JFK assassination. Here are a few facts:

 

1. Mr. Aquino was a dissident returning from Boston, MA and definitely a threat to then dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

 

2. On August 21 1983 Mr. Aquino returned to Manila and was subsequently killed. I told my shocked parents the news over the phone when they called from Rome, Italy.

 

3. The then government claimed:

 

a) Mr, Aquino made it down a ladder from the plane in 11 seconds negotiating 19 steps. (highly unlikely in my opinion.)

 

And allegedly communist gunman; Rolando Galman, eluded a 1,000 man security cordon and emerged from behind the said ladder and shot Mr. Aquino at practically point blank range on the nape. The bullet exited Mr. Aquino's chin. (Ditto on above comment)

 

c) Galman allegedly used a .357 Magnum revolver.

 

d) Avation Security Command (AVESECOM) SWAT-like team allegedly subsequently peppered Galman with dozens of bullets.

 

 

I'd like to hear your opinions on the following:

 

1) If Mr. Aquino was indeed shot with a .357 Magnum at almost point blank range; wouldn't it have taken his head off, rather than exited at Mr. Aquino's chin?

 

2) Wouldn't it have been more plausible that given the entry and exit wounds (relatively clean from what I've seen in pictures.) and the 11 seconds before the first shot was fired that a Browning 9mm Automatic (this has been theorized) was used by one of the military escorts behind while Mr. Aquino was descending the stairs?

 

I'd like to hear your thoughts as many of you are far more experienced and knowledgeable than me.

 

 

-Many Thanks!;

 

 

 

-rastamanila

[ktcm7271 999]

Your ideas sound solid to me. A .357 at point blank would mangle a human, maybe a fmj bullet would enter/exit, but it would be devastating. 9mm are known to go through clean, and with the time frame, it almost had to be a guard. How's Angeles this time of year? a buddy of mine moved there last year.

[rastamanila 313]

Your ideas sound solid to me. A .357 at point blank would mangle a human, maybe a fmj bullet would enter/exit, but it would be devastating. 9mm are known to go through clean, and with the time frame, it almost had to be a guard. How's Angeles this time of year? a buddy of mine moved there last year.

 

@ktcm Angeles; like the rest of the country will be atrociously a baking hot inferno until maybe mid June. But otherwise; the fun there continues after Monday's elections will be over.

[Jpanzer 1,265]

From the angle of exit you describe it would seem to me the bullet was fired from above and behind. That would seem to indicate someone on the plane shot him on the way down the ladder...

[loki0629 55]

According to this report the bullet entered near the left ear and exited through the chin. Still consistent with the shooter being behind and above Aquino. One of the people implicated in the report had a .38 special revolver.

 

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/columns/columns/view/20090819-221072/Who-ordered-the-hit-on-Ninoy-Aquino

 

Ironically, if Aquino had not been killed, Marcos might have remained in power longer.

[Shandlanos 1,470]

.357 and 9mm are almost identical in diameter. If the projectile was an FMJ, either cartridge could have sent it clean through.

[rastamanila 313]

According to this report the bullet entered near the left ear and exited through the chin. Still consistent with the shooter being behind and above Aquino. One of the people implicated in the report had a .38 special revolver.

 

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/columns/columns/view/20090819-221072/Who-ordered-the-hit-on-Ninoy-Aquino

 

Ironically, if Aquino had not been killed, Marcos might have remained in power longer.

 

Yes actually the assassination sunk Mr. Marcos' world. Had it not happened he would have remained in power possibly indefinitely. Which gives rise to theories (which I agree with) that he did not order the assassination because he was not that stupid at all (in fact if you read his history events will prove that he was brilliantly clever and cunning).

 

The assassination galvanized the Filipino people against the Marcos family.

[rastamanila 313]

.357 and 9mm are almost identical in diameter. If the projectile was an FMJ, either cartridge could have sent it clean through.

 

Wow! Thank You. That was very insightful and I totally did not know that.