Hackers defaced the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) website on Monday morning, leaving a message demanding that Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) revert to its former name, Manila International Airport (MIA).
The hackers known as Anonymous Philippines cited a Change.org petition asking Senators Richard Gordon, Miguel Zubiri and Manny Pacquiao to repeal Republic Act 6639, which changed the airport’s name from MIA to Naia in honor of slain senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
Aquino, the husband of late President Corazon Aquino and father of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, was assassinated at the airport airport tarmac on Aug. 21, 1983, upon returning from years of exile in the United Stares.
The opposition leader’s killing sparked a political upheaval that led to the ouster of dictator Ferdinand Marcos through a People Power revolt in February 1986.
Not under Caap
According to Anonymous Philippines, Ninoy was “not a hero/patriot for inspiration and emulation of this generation and generations still unborn (sic).”
The hackers, however, may have targeted the wrong agency as Naia is not under Caap’s management.
“The Naia is operated by its own airport authority, the Manila International Airport Authority under the (Department of Transportation) and not under the management of Caap,” said Caap spokesperson Eric Apolonio.
According to Caap, its website was back online as of 11 a.m. Wednesday.
“No sensitive information was compromised” as the website contains only civil aviation rules and regulations, forms, memorandum circulars and other publications, it added.