Before Mrs. Aquinos term ended in 1992, a group of non-government organizations tagged some 50 right-wing vigilante groups as being backed by the military, citing a wave of human-rights abuses that resulted in the deaths of 1,064 people, mostly farmers and workers, the disappearance of 830 others and 135 cases of massacre. Every Filipino became an instant hero. Log in here. Already have an active account? Hence, he had no choice but to order Ver to hold his shots, or else. I had mixed emotions then. June Deoferio, Cavite: The unity and courage of different kinds of people, especially the nuns, who bravely faced the soldiers with tanks, to offer food and flowers. As a friend once said, such phrase was the favorite of people with too much philosophy, have no history study background, or just plain sloppy in research works. He even made televised warning to end the mutiny with violence if they never yielded. Larry Parroco, Quezon City: The 1986 Edsa People Power is the best gift of the Filipino people to the world. These are the people who ordered the [political dissidents] arrest. Carmela Ramento, Cagayan de Oro City: That day, tears flowed dry looking at thousands of people risking lives and limbs for democracy. The U.S facilitated his escape to the American state of Hawaii, where he stayed until his death on September 28, 1989. According to its proponents, no one will care about mainstream history we have today, if there are untold truths being suppressed by the victors. I am so grateful that even in my small way, I was able to participate. The focus of this note is not individual but social PEOPLE POWER, used in two different but related contexts. Noel Alquiza, Metro Manila: My most vivid memory during that time was the call of the late Soc Rodrigo to the youth (I was 18 then) on TV appealing: Mga kabataan, panahon na upang mamatay para sa bayan. While Marcos was being sworn into office by then Chief Justice Ramon C. Aquino, a few minutes before noon of the same day, the televised coverage of the event was abruptly interrupted. He had plans to shed blood, but was thwarted by the officers in the field, the influence of the Catholic Church and the U.S. Government. Seeing the goal of the uprising triumphantly achieved is an incomparable feeling. That the participants of the bloodless revolution were mobs and savages as the pious Marcos tolerated them. We commemorate the milestone with quotes from some of EDSA I's most prominent players and eyewitnesses. Your email address will not be published. The strongman had just been proclaimed winner of the February 7 snap elections against popular opposition candidate Corazon Aquino, widow of Benigno Ninoy Aquino Jr., who was gunned down on August 21, 1983, upon returning from a three-year US exile. But some jokers out there are twisting the truth by presenting their own fabricated version of so-called history. And President Reagan threatened Marcos with halting such military aids if violence broke, since what was meant to fight communism will end up supporting a civil war. I remember my teacher telling us to go home and to watch on television the events unfolding in Manila. Ermita also paid glowing tribute to the role of the alumni of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) of which he is a member of class 1957, in uniting the Armed Forces at the most crucial times of the countrys history, especially the coup attempts that followed, otherwise, the country would be in chaos and divided. Being the commander of the 4th Marine Provisional Brigade with two battalions under him, he was tasked to lead an assault on Ministry of Defense Building at Camp Aguinaldo. The claims being circulated simply lacked context. With the restoration of democratic institutions lost during martial law, including regular elections, the people can now choose the leaders that they want, he stressed. Nestor Chan, Manila: Edsa 1986 was a period in our history that we can truly be proud of. What Prevented Bloodshed In The EDSA Revolution In 1986? Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: I saw a huge crowd of people jumping in jubilation and chanting to mark the end of a dictatorship and the dawning of a new era. MANILA, Feb. 22 The peaceful People Power Revolution 30 years ago could have been bloody and thrown the country into chaos were it not for three ranking military officials who defied orders to crush the uprising that would result in the killing of not only rebel soldiers holed up in Camp Crame, but also countless of innocent civilians Jim Veneracion, Naga City: The beauty of Edsa 1 was that it was bloodless and . That bloodless revolt culminated in the flight of FM to Hawaii on Feb 25, 1986 at 9:22 pm. Thats what democracy means. Sign up now! President Ferdinand Marcos 20-year reign was marred with corruption, violence, electoral fraud and abuses, and the people had enough. The Facts: The EDSA People Power Revolution was the culmination of the decades-long authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos, whose family and allies are notorious for pilfering from the government's coffers, the World Bank, and International Monetary Funds and amassing billions in ill-gotten wealth while the Filipino people suffer from EDSA 1986 is one shining moment in Philippine history. I thought the tanks would run over us, and I told myself, If I have to be a martyr for my country, so be it! Even then, I was so frightened. In the act of defiance, the troops refused to fire on the huge mass of unarmed people. She was cheated. After three decades, the Antipolo Regional Trial Court found three RAM members guilty of two counts of murder and meted with the penalty of up to 40 years imprisonment. Despite what critics say, it can't be denied that the event is one of the defining moments of the country's recent history. On September 19, 1987, Lean Alejandro was on his way to the Bayan office in Quezon City when a van cut into the path of his vehicle; a gunman rolled down the drivers window and fatally shot him in the back and face with a single bullet. Though we were in the province, there was an uneasy calm, but when news of Marcos flight reached us, there were looks of relief on the faces of my folks. And yet, Afable believes that while he finds the 1986 People Power Revolution that ousted Marcos after 21 years in power remains to be relevant today, it might not happen again for different reasons. Many countries were astounded by our country's move and it draw much more attention because nobody died. Bongbong Marcos pushes unity, saying the country will never progress if it keeps dividing itself between past and present. We slept and ate there for three consecutive days through donations from people whom we did not even know. It was the AFPs road to Damascus; repentance, and conversion at least for a time. Marcos for an order to bomb Camps Crame and Aguinaldo. Charlie Magne Decena, 26, a call center agent, said that since the 1986 People Power Revolution which has always been commemorated for years as the event that restored the freedom of Filipinos, it should remain as a day remembered by all. Source: hrvvmemcom.gov.ph. Now, do we want to go back to the past because it is the future that some of our people want? For instance, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Proclamation No. (PNA photo by Gil Calinga) MANILA The 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution symbolizes the willingness of the Filipinos to stand together to fight for freedom and democracy, Defense . With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. The notion that history is written by the victors is both lazy and stupid. Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. When I heard of how other countries have staged peaceful means in their own clamor for change, I think of Edsa being a trademark of how Filipinos unity helped influence other cultures and races. Marcos avoided violence not out of conscience or goodwill, but due to pressures. Calata, Paraaque City: To me, the most vivid memories of Edsa 1 were: 1) ordinary people confronting soldiers with flowers or rosaries; 2) some religious nuns unmoved in front of an advancing tank that stopped on its tracks; 3) the voice of Jun Keithley in an unknown safe place then monitoring troops movements near Malacaan; 4) the live telecast showing FM ordering Gen. Ver not to do what the latter was asking permission for: the bombardment of both Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo where many would have died and been maimed. There are no comments yet. Nonetheless, Parong said Edsa remains relevant, not just because it continued to inspire nonviolent regime change, as seen in East Germany and many other former Soviet bloc countries at the end of the Cold War era in 1989. There were many key highlights during the EDSA People Power in 1986. Lucas Banzon Madamba, Laguna: Edsa 1986 reminds me of the sacrifices of the majority of Filipinos to regain freedom and democracy for our country. As historian Ambeth Ocampo said, the film is not about historical revisionism but historical distortion. JOHANN LUCAS, QUEZON CITY: Edsa 1986 was the year that awakened my consciousness to the realities in our country. After Edsa, Afable continued to serve the government in various capacities, and, before returning home to Baguio, was part of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyos cabinet. Readers may also post intriguing questions for other Inbox friends to comment on. So, Cory lost [the election]. Your email address will not be published. To begin with, it was the failures of his administration and his weaknesses in his presidency that triggered the bloodless revolt. Another act of heroism at EDSA 86 was shown by another Marine officer, then Col. Braulio Balbas, who was the commander of an artillery battery, who established his unit at the golf course of Camp Aguinaldo, just across Camp Crame. Then, when Corazon Aquino was finally swept to power, the militants were largely marginalized. This was the only time Filipinos became united. However, the oath-taking proceeded 20 minutes later. Incredible but there was none. For once, I wanted to make a decision for my country, Sotelo said. So help us God. He will position his 05-millimeter howitzers on a golf course and aim them at Camp Crame, with the protesters in the line of fire. Life became more difficult, cost of living and crime rate went up. Next, I saw the former President Marcos alighting from the plane. Louella Brown, Baguio City: My most vivid memories of Edsa 1986 are: the joining of forces of the military, civilians, priests and nuns, and ordinary citizens to oust a dictator; the peaceful means employed; and the triumph of democracy. I.Q. Lidy, his widow, said she was never approached by any investigator on the case and the official probe was suddenly stopped two weeks later. With the vehicles and weapons ready, the revolt should have ended in a horrific way. We were told that unless we did that, there would be a bloody civil war. Amihan shear line to bring cloudy skies and rain to Luzon, Visayas, SWERTRES RESULTS February 25, 2022 (Friday). EDSA People Power Revolution The Philippines was praised worldwide in 1986, when the so-called bloodless revolution erupted, called EDSA People Power's Revolution. The peaceful outcome of the revolution was almost miraculous in scale . Kasi ang mga magulang nila, sabi ayos naman kami noon [because their parents were saying, we were fine then].. I made album clippings about this people power phenomenon, even if I was more sympathetic back then to the Marcoses. THOUGH they were caught up in the euphoria of the 1986 People Power, Dr. Aurora Parong was not blind to the background of the coup plotters with whom they shared the final moments that led to the ouster of the late strongman. Learn how your comment data is processed. We could say that the peaceful EDSA People Power Revolution wasnt just a victory for the Philippines, but for the whole humanity as well. And during the duration of the revolt, Marcos planned to use force to suppress the demonstrations. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. Add your comment to start the conversation. I also joined the long queue just to get two pieces of Skyflakes and a glass of water at nakipag-agawan ng pagkain na inihagis ng mga sundalo na nakapatong sa pader ng Kampo Crame. Former Defense Secretary Eduardo R. Ermita, a retired Army lieutenant general and one of the heroes of EDSA People Power 1 revolt, lauded the heroic acts of his comrades-in-arms Marine Brig. Many of them lifted the rosaries and crucifixes they were carrying for the soldiers to see, then knelt on the middle of EDSA. She also cited how the succeeding governments recognized there were, indeed, political prisoners, although human-rights abuses continue to hound the country. It gives you an insight on what kind of people we were [then], Afable said. We could say then that history has nothing to do with ones opinions or gossips, or even hearsays that one picked up in pubs. But he had a new assignment the following day. Having paved the way for restoring democracy after over a. It became a world model for political change without bloodshed. On January 22, 1987, the farmers march calling for comprehensive land reforms ended in violence when anti-riot personnel, including lawmen in plain clothes, opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing at least 12 and injuring 51 protesters near Mendiola Bridge leading to Malacaang Palace. Protestors took to the streets in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, to demonstrate against dictatorship and restore democracy in the country. Pag yan ay inalis o ginawang ineffective, mag-ingat tayo at mawawala yung tunay na demokrasya natin [if we remove or make those ineffective, we should be wary as we will lose genuine democracy], said Azcuna. Ryan Pahimulin, Rizal: The number of people who trooped to Edsa was just unbelievable. It was a time to witness how nationalistic Air Force military officers headed by Col. Castelo turned the tide of history, our countrys direction and way of life. It was a . Then two PAF F-5 fighter jets thundered overhead. She saw the bright prospects of a new government anchored and the accompanying democratic space, when Mrs. Aquino ordered the release of all political prisoners and convened a commission to draft a new Constitution under a revolutionary government.. The Facts: The EDSA People Power Revolution was the culmination of the decades-long authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos, whose family and allies are notorious for pilfering from the. The "People's Power" was never meant for the Failipino people, it was intended for the oligarchs who are running/ruining . Worse, they were accused of being outsiders during the uprising because a big segment of the militant movement joined the boycott of the sham snap elections. The first chopper fired a pair of rockets, followed by .50 caliber machine gun fire. President Ferdinand Marcos 20-year reign was marred with corruption, violence, electoral fraud and abuses, and the people had enough. 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