MVP module: Independent Period 1945-1986
Janet Kennedy10 March 2010
Timeline for the period
21 Aug 1983 Ninoy Aquino assassinated
3 Nov 1985 Announcement of snap election
3 Dec 1985 Cory Aquino declares candidacy
7 Feb 1986 Election held
22 Feb 1986 Start of EDSA
25 Feb 1986 Marcos flown out by US
Why did Marcos call a snap election?
Failing economy
Loss of popularity following Aquino assassination
Ill health (lupus had led to kidney failure)
Lack of a successor
Needed to convince outside world he still had a mandate (election announced on US television)
Was convinced he would win (lack of opposition)
Ferdinand MarcosVice presidential running mate was Tolentino
Denounced Cory as a communist
“A woman’s place is in the bedroom”
Said Cory portrayed him as a “combination of Darth Vader, Machiavelli, Nero, Stalin, Pol Pot and maybe even Satan himself”
Cory Aquino
Seen as Filipina Mary
Campaign based on “honesty, sincerity, simplicity and religious faith”
“I have no experience in cheating, stealing, lying or assassinating political opponents”
Vice presidential candidate was Laurel
Jaime Cardinal Sin
Helped unite opposition behind Cory
Persuaded Laurel to be VP candidate
Issued pastoral letter in January 1986
Spoke on radio telling people to take to the streets (EDSA)
The campaign
Marcos
Spent $500 million
Controlled TV
Radio was pro-Marcos
3 national newspapers pro-Marcos
Left campaigning to deputy (due to ill health)
KBL political machine
Red
V for victory
Cory
Spent $6 million
2 national newspapers covered opposition
Held rallies all over the country
Supported by church
Supported by business
Yellow
L for Laban (fight)
The election
“Most unbelievable and confusing election in Philippine history”
“Most internationally publicised” (worldwide broadcast attention)
“Most fraudulent”
COMELEC (Commission on Elections)
NAMFREL (National Movement for Free Elections)
Guns, goons and gold
Killed off the opposition (264 killed, 227 injured)
Lost voters’ names from lists (~ 10% disenfranchised)
Bought votes
P100 for an individual vote
P1,000 for an entire ballot sheet
P10,000 to any teacher working as election inspector who would allow cheating
Used goons to collect the ballot papers (1 million forged)
Modified tallies electronically
Events leading to EDSA
7 Feb Election
8 Feb Church condemns election as a fraud
9 Feb Walkout of COMELEC computer technicians
15 Feb National Assembly declares Marcos the winner
16 Feb Cory holds rally in Rizal Park
19 Feb US Congress condemns election
21 Feb Ver discovers coup plot
RAM and the attempted coup
Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM)
Young army officers
Publically called for non-violent reform
Privately planning coup for Xmas 1985 or New Year 1986, rescheduled for after election
Enrile, Defence Minister, is political leader of coup
General Fidel Ramos
Ramos
Ramos sidelined by Marcos in favour of Ver
Deputy Chief of Staff (to Ver)
Head of Constabulary
Military leader of coup
EDSA Day 1 – Saturday 22 February Ver slow to act
Enrile and RAM officers meet Ramos in Camp Aguinaldo
Enrile and Ramos resign from government, accuse Marcos of stealing election
Ramos returns to Camp Crame
Call from Cardinal Sin on Radio Veritas for people to take to the streets to protect the rebels
Crowds start to gather on EDSA
EDSA - people power
EDSA Days 2 and 323 Feb (Sunday)
Enrile joins Ramos in Camp Crame
1 million people on EDSA
Nuns kneel in path of tanks
24 Feb (Monday)
Ver’s forces take Camp Aguinaldo but refuse to fire on
civilians
Many defections, including helicopter assault team
Reagan urges Marcos to resign
EDSA Day 4 (Tuesday 25)1 am Marcos phones Laxalt querying Reagan’s stance
5:30 am Laxalt consults with Reagan and returns the call
Laxalt advises
“You should cut and cut cleanly. I think the time has come”
Marcos replies
“I am so very disappointed”
9:30 am Marcos offers Enrile coalition
10 am Cory sworn in
12 noon Marcos sworn in
9 pm Marcos flown out by US to Clark then Hawaii
Cory Aquino is sworn in
Where are they now? Ferdinand Marcos died in 1989
Imelda Marcos returned to the Philippines in 1991, later ran twice for president, and lives on
Cory Aquino died in August 2009, but her son Noynoy is a presidential candidate in 2010
Juan Ponce Enrile is currently President of the Senate
Fidel Ramos became President of the Philippines after Cory and is now retired
Jaime Cardinal Sin was also involved in EDSA II and died in 2005