Novo Ecijanos and local government unit in the town of Bongabon and in Baler, Aurora remembered the 74th death anniversary of former first lady Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon wife of President Manuel L. Quezon as they spearheaded the wreath laying activity at the Doña Aurora Shrine in Brgy. Labi, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija on Friday, April 28, 2023.
A short program was held at the shrine where the former first lady was ambushed and killed. A 21-gun salute was administered by the 703rd Brigade Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.
Together with the Province of Aurora and the town of Baler, LGU-Bongabon spearheaded this year’s program.
It was attended by Doña Aurora’s grandson Jose Antonio Quezon-Buencamino, officials of the Province of Aurora and the town of Baler and Bongabon led by Mayor Ricardo I. Padilla, Vice Mayor Christian Padilla Binuya and the Sanggunianag Bayan members, Brgy. Captains, Department Heads, DepEd Bongabon and citizens of Bongabon.
Mayor Padilla said that the country is lucky because there is a Doña Aurora who is an inspiration for Novo Ecijanos’ women.
This year’s program was hosted by Bongabon LGUs while officials of Baler will be the host next year.
One clear morning on April 28, 1949, Doña Aurora left Nueva Ecija for Baler, where she was supposed to inaugurate the Quezon Memorial Hospital. With her were her daughter Maria Aurora, son-in-law Philip Buencamino III, and nine other people when they were ambushed peppered with bullets by hundreds of armed men.
It was learned that the assassination of Doña Aurora Quezon was widely believed to be the work of the Hukbalahap or Huks (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon), a guerilla movement that proved instrumental in the weakening the Japanese forces in the Philippines during the Second World War.
But after the Liberation in 1946, the Huks continued their armed movement and became a communist rebellion force that aimed to bring down the Philippine government.
It was during the height of their rebellion when they assassinated Doña Aurora Quezon.
