On Feb. 24, the third day of the EDSA 86 uprising, another group of military officers and men, the famed 15th Strike Wing of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), led by Col. Antonio Sotelo, instead of bombing Camp Crame as ordered, defected, tilting farther the balance of firepower to the side of the Enrile-Ramos camp. Jim Veneracion, Naga City: My vivid memories of Edsa 86 were the agonizing three days before Marcos was driven out of Malacaan. Then, on February 20, Marcos declared himself the winner despite allegations of fraud and violence. "FACT CHECK | Video claiming Marcos did not want bloodshed during People Power lacks context". Bongbong Marcos pushes unity, saying the country will never progress if it keeps dividing itself between past and present. After all, the Battle of Thermopylae, Custers Last Stand, The Fall of the Roman Empire, the outcome of the Crusades, plus much more wont be told to the public if there is a truth to that popular phrase. JPE [Enrile] is really a pure pragmatist. EDSA Revolution I In the year 1986 The Philippines was given the world's limelight because of the nonviolent revolution to overthrow the dictatorship of Former President Ferdinand Marcos. Cardinal Jaime Sin, the then Archbishop of Manila, called upon Filipinos to support the relatively peaceful protest led by opposition leader Cory. NOW retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Adolf Azcuna asserts that the gains at Edsa need not be taken for granted. All rights reserved. February 25, 1986 marked a significant national event that has been engraved in the hearts and minds of every Filipino. By the late 1960s, corruption prevented the im-plementation of sound policies, civil unrest grew, and economic growth began to slow, allowing several neighboring countries to surpass the . One of the most notable events during the 4-day protest was on day 2 when the president sent tanks to clear the street. It inspired a call for a change of government through peaceful protests rather than violent riots and bloodshed. I sometimes wonder, were we better off before the Edsa revolt? Meanwhile, crowds had just been drawn to Edsa, outside Camps Aguinaldo and Crame, by a call from influential Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, as droves of officers, lawmakers and high-profile government officials started abandoning the Marcos camp after his pyrrhic victory. Still, he stressed, people should not forget the principle of accountability, enshrined in the 1987 Constitution which he helped write as a member of the constitutional commission. Walang gutom sa mga araw na yun. Marcos regime is arguably the bloodiest in recent Philippine history. The Marcos forces have also remained intact, including their political and economic forces. 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. History is written by the historians, not the victors, through careful studies, research, record keepings, explorations and investigations. Mike de Leon on EDSA: "I don't even call it a revolutionThere was no catharsis.". 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. The "People's Power" was never meant for the Failipino people, it was intended for the oligarchs who are running/ruining . No less than Bayan chair, the late Sen. Lorenzo Taada, the grand old man of the Philippine opposition, went on leave from the alliance, which was trying to build a wide anti-dictatorship network, and decided to campaign for Mrs. Aquino. I was too young to understand the happenings then. News.tv5.com. The Philippines was praised worldwide in 1986, when the so-called bloodless revolution erupted, called EDSA People Power's Revolution. 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. We forged unity and cooperation to fight against the dictatorial leadership of former President Ferdinand Marcos. 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. At the height of the Edsa revolution, Dela Cruz claimed that the majority in the armed forces actually remained loyal to the President until the last minute.. Cris Rivera, Rizal: I vividly remember the feeling of felicity that embraces one and all at the time. I kept asking myself, Was it right to support them, just to oust Marcos? Parong recalled. EXPENSIVE healthcare has reduced the confidence of Filipinos that they will live longer and healthier lives, according to the latest study released by Manulife Philippines. But, since 2016, the anniversary continues to be declared as a Special Non-Working Holiday.. But some jokers out there are twisting the truth by presenting their own fabricated version of so-called history. Manalastas, Manila: I vividly recall the peaceful outpouring of support of people from all walks of life to topple and replace the Marcos dictatorial regime. Today, people are totally different. The people craned their necks to get a glimpse of the supersonic planes. For once, I wanted to make a decision for my country, Sotelo said. Already have an active account? Two other Sikorsky helicopter gunships proceeded to Malaca?ang and attacked the Presidential Palace with air-to-ground rockets. It was the AFPs road to Damascus; repentance, and conversion at least for a time. JOHANN LUCAS, QUEZON CITY: Edsa 1986 was the year that awakened my consciousness to the realities in our country. This united call further strengthened the courage of Filipinos to gather in peaceful protests around the country. In a televised broadcast, Marcos also did not hesitate to threaten dissidents with heavy artillery if they do not yield. However, this announcement was met with ire as the National Movement of Free Elections (NAMFREL) at that time disputed the results of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). It left us a great lesson that power corrupts and is very addictive. Now, do we want to go back to the past because it is the future that some of our people want? No spam. Cardinal Jaime Sin, the then Archbishop of Manila, called upon Filipinos to support the . This partly explains the growing popularity of his son Bongbong, the consistent survey frontrunner among presidential aspirants in the May elections. While we learn about history in school, it is important to refresh our memory about the important events in our country. This year, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signedProclamation No. Mimaropa, Ilocos receive tourists from cruise ships, Hundreds of tourists from cruise ships flocked to Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and Ilocos region several days before and until the end of the Holy Week break, the Department of Tourism reportedr, LTO drops periodic medical exam for drivers license. Those Edsa memories will be kept treasured in my heart forever. Philippine Revolution, (1896-98), Filipino independence struggle that, after more than 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, exposed the weakness of Spanish administration but failed to evict Spaniards from the islands. It became a world model for political change without bloodshed. Nene Pimentel's one true legacy. Cory came at the right time. It was at this day that my anger and hatred against the former President Marcos increased, because I could no longer find my parked car at a side street of Edsa. In this blog, we will look back at the historical past, explaining why February 25 is celebrated every year in our democratic country. William Gonzaga, Marikina City: Its the unprecedented unity of a divided people bound together by the common purpose of toppling the Marcos dictatorship. Theyre so hard up. The EDSA Revolution in 1986 did not go unchallenged by the Marcos regime. Source: hrvvmemcom.gov.ph. The focus of this note is not individual but social PEOPLE POWER, used in two different but related contexts. 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Anne Marie de Chavez, Las Pias City: I have very vivid memories of Edsa 1986 because my companions and I had to sit in the first row in front of the tanks. Felix Ramento, USA: It was an event that overshadowed all other resistance against the Philippine dictator, including our bitter exchanges of sentiments with Marcos loyalists in Saudi Arabia that raged almost daily for almost a decade in the Letters to the Editor of the Arab News (a.k.a. We survived the three-day vigil. It was the only instance in his entire military career that he defied an order from his superior. 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. Some of them remain familiar . And his influence helped rally the people to EDSA to stage a revolt and to protect the detractors from the Marcos regime. In 2014, Parong, who had worked for Amnesty International, was appointed to the Human Rights Victims Claims Board by then President Benigno Noynoy Aquino, which led to the indemnification of 11,103 martial law victims from the alleged P10 billion in ill-gotten wealth recovered in Swiss banks. The commitment to a bloodless resolution of the 1986 EDSA People Power actually stemmed from the U.S. governments urging. Observe. Lucas Banzon Madamba, Laguna: Edsa 1986 reminds me of the sacrifices of the majority of Filipinos to regain freedom and democracy for our country. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit. For once, our kanya-kanya mentality turned into mutual feelings of caring and concern, rich and poor congregating along the streets surrounding Camp Aguinaldo as a human buffer against the dictators forces. Jaime Cardinal Sin was the head of the Manila Archdiocese back in the Martial Law days, and his preparedness to renounce the abuses of the Marcos regime earned him the admiration of foreign media for being progressive. And once, in a country in Southeast Asia, a peaceful revolution occurred that amazed the world. Other than the events happening outside the Malacanang Palace, inside was turmoil. Despite the Presidents ouster, Dela Cruz believes that Marcos can still be remembered for his vision of nation-building for the country being more modernized and participatory in development. He was so weak and pathetic that I asked myself, is this the man who wielded such an enormous and powerful command on the people but is now so helpless and forlorn? On the third day, my wife and her friends joined the protest, walking beside the military tanks, praying the rosary and giving flowers to the soldiers on top of the tanks. 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. General Ver asked Pres. FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, who steered the Philippines in securing a landmark maritime legal victory in the South China Sea, has passed away. Afable recalled phoning his family, telling them he might die at any moment, if the government troops loyal to the President moved in to quell the military uprising. ON those four historic days, student leader Leandro Alejandro and his wife Lidy were manning the Bayan secretariat after left-wing militants joined Corazon Aquinos call for civil disobedience. 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. 1841 in 2009, declaring the EDSA People Power Anniversary as a Special Holiday (for all schools)., In 2015, former President Benigno Noynoy Aquino III (son of Cory Aquino and Ninoy Aquino) signed another proclamation declaring the anniversary as a Special Holiday (for all schools) too. Kill? People kept coming with food and drinks as we shouted victory during the Tora-Tora bombing and the White Plains attack. The revolution of the people, General Ramos called it, after what began as a military uprising drew civilians pledged to protect the rebel soldiers. inside Camp Crame grounds when triumph of people power was patently achieved. We went to Edsa and helped mobilize people, not just in support of the mutineers but because it was an uprising against the dictatorship, said Lidy. 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. The influence of the Catholic Church also played a role in taming Marcos. Seeing the goal of the uprising triumphantly achieved is an incomparable feeling. Despite what critics say, it can't be denied that the event is one of the defining moments of the country's recent history. Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: It was an event where an Ilocano was removed from office. In the history of every modern-day democracy, the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution stands out as the most astonishing, not only because it removed without bloodshed a cruel dictator in Ferdinand Marcos, but also because, all intents and purposes taken together, it has at least healed the malignancy of the Filipino nation's broken soul. 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