Former Senator and Makati Representative Agapito “Butz” Aquino is dead. The former actor gained prominence after the assassination of his brother, Ninoy Aquino, on August 21, 1983. He is among the founders of the August 21 Movement (ATOM) and Bandilla, both protest vehicles that sought, among other issues, justice for his former Senator brother, Ninoy. The Marcos dictatorship was proven to have planned the daring daylight execution. Butz was elected senator (1987 – 1995) during the term of his sister-in-law, Cory Aquino, who assumed the Presidency after dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ousted from office during the 1986 EDSA People Power revolution. Butz later became a Congressman (1998 – 2007) representing the second district of Makati City. Butz Aquino was among the relatives of President Noynoy Aquino who supported then Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay for Vice President in 2010. The Noy-Bi pair that won both the Presidency and Vice-Presidency in 2010 was, and remains, controversial up to today since then Mayor Binay was not in the same ticket of then Senator Noynoy Aquino. Major groups within the Noynoy Aquino for President initiative conspired to support a different Vice-Presidential candidate (Binay) rather than the Liberal Party official candidate for Vice President, then Senator, now DILG Secretary Mar Roxas. The Mar Roxas 2010 stab in the back may be repeated in 2016 as both Roxas and Binay square off again, this time for the highest position in the land, President of the Republic of the Philippines. Butz Aquino had previously expressed his support for the Presidential candidacy of Vice President Binay for 2016.

DISCLOSURE: The owner of this Balitang Balita page was a personal friend of former Senator Butz Aquino. Balitang Balita would like to extend its deepest condolences to the family of Senator Butz.

Butz Aquino with former Congressman Satur Ocampo.