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