Muling binalikan ni Senador Risa Hontiveros ang personal umano niyang karanasan noong araw na pinaslang si dating Senador Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., 40 taon ang nakararaan.

Sa kaniyang pahayag, isinalaysay ni Hontiveros na noong Agosto 21, 1983, nagsagawa pa umano ng pagkilos ang ilan sa kaniyang Ateneo Sanggu Central Boardmates upang salubungin si Aquino sa Manila International Airport (na ngayon ay Ninoy Aquino International Airport).

“I was one of those who had objected to meeting him because I felt that he was a trapo and had not fought with us the previous years. I had many opinions of Ninoy, but then I realized when they killed him that he had returned to the Philippines knowing well the risks,” pagbabalik-tanaw ni Hontiveros.

“He ultimately was willing to give up his one and only life. He had said the Filipino was worth dying for, and he stood true to his words. On that day, Ninoy Aquino was assassinated. The rest, as they say, is history - and it became part of my personal history, too,” dagdag niya.

Agosto Biente Uno: Ang pagpaslang kay Ninoy Aquino

Inihayag din ng senadora na hindi niya malilimutan ang trahedya at inspirasyon ng pagkamatay ni Aquino, tulad na lamang umano ng hindi dapat pagkalimot sa ibang pang mga nagbuwis ng buhay para sa mga Pilipino.

“Deaths like these are built on extraordinary hope and an unwavering love for the Filipino,” ani Hontiveros.

“Ito’y mga kamatayang bumuhay sa bansang nagkaisa laban sa diktador. Mga kamatayang bumuhay sa nasyonalismo, ng ating pagmamahal sa bayan at kapwa Pilipino,” saad pa niya.