On This Day | Turmoil grips Philippines in 1986 as People Power ends Marcos rule – from the SCMP archive

This story was published on February 25, 1986. Marcos on brink of Manila turmoil From Harvey Stockwin The Philippine capital Manila was last night (February 24, 1986) in revolutionary turmoil as a people’s government led by Corazon Aquino sought to take over the country backed by a massive demonstration of non-violence by hundreds of thousands of unarmed supporters. But President Ferdinand Marcos clung to the illusion that he is still in control. Yesterday evening he effectively declared war on the Philippine people in an interview broadcast by telephone from Malacanang Palace as he called on all loyal soldiers and his private armies to come and demonstrate the power of violence. And later on there were reports that Marcos troops had dropped mortar shells on a transmitter of the Catholic Church’s Radio Veritas station. No further details were available. “I have no intention to resign. I have no intention to give up the presidency,” Marcos said. “I have no intention to compromise. I am fighting for survival. I am fighting for my life,” he said. He also made it perfectly clear that he had no intention in the present circumstances to abide by US President Ronald Reagan’s request that he avoid violence and step down. Reagan yesterday, for the first time, called on Marcos to relinquish the presidency. Presidential spokesman Larry Speakes said the Reagan administration issued a statement calling for Marcos’ resignation after receiving “disturbing reports of a possible attack” by Marcos loyalist General Fabian Ver against two mutinous military leaders entrenched with supporters several kilometres from the Philippine capital. The White House statement said: “Attempts to prolong the life of the present regime by violence are futile. A solution to this crisis can only be achieved through a peaceful transition to a new government.” Speakes told the CBS-TV network’s Morning News programme that “we will convey these statements through the diplomatic channels directly to President Marcos”, whom he called “an old friend and trusted ally over the years”. Asked if Reagan had spoken to Marcos, Speakes said: “At the moment the President doesn’t have any plans to call President Marcos, but his sentiments are certainly being delivered directly to President Marcos.” Interviewed separately on the NBC-TV network’s Today programme, Speakes said that “at the moment we have received no request for asylum”, but he added that the administration is “certainly prepared to be of assistance in a peaceful transition”. It was a day of fluctuating fortunes in Manila yesterday. Early in the morning it seemed that troops loyal to Marcos were going to overrun about 100,000 non-violent Filipino protestors who stood between them and the small group of armed men loyal to former Defence Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and General Fidel Ramos. As I arrived on the at scene at 5.30am, bands of young Filipinos linked arms, singing hymns and national songs, and marched towards the troops as they tried to advance. As daylight came, the crowds of protesters got so large that the military men loyal to Marcos seemed to give up their efforts. News was then broadcast that Marcos and his wife Imelda had fled the country. Too soon, Manila went into a frenzy of rejoicing. At Camp Crame, where Enrile and General Ramos had made their stand, a premature victory celebration was held, hailing the end of the Marcos dictatorship. As I drove through Manila, Filipinos were rejoicing on virtually every street. But when I got to Malacanang, Mr and Mrs Marcos were still there. At a hastily-called press conference, Marcos declared a state of emergency, but said he would fight back. Publicly, on live television, Marcos refused armed forces chief General Ver’s request to use jet fighters to strafe Camp Crame. Quickly, as word of the press conference spread, the rejoicing stopped. But troops loyal to General Ramos still managed to take control of the main television network, through which Marcos had exercised control, especially during the recent election. Later in the morning, armed helicopters sought to destroy the presidential helicopter and a presidential jet at a Manila Air Force base. I saw troops firing above the heads and using water cannon on crowds close to the presidential palace. At the palace, a platform had been set up for Marcos’ planned inauguration today. No invitations to attend the ceremony had been received by foreign diplomats last night, but Marcos said he intended to go ahead with the ceremony. Many units of the Philippine armed forces yesterday swung their support to Enrile and General Ramos, who insist that Aquino was the real choice of Filipino voters in the election. Unconfirmed reports said Aquino, who was somewhere in Manila, had finalised the list of personnel who will participate in her provisional government. Marcos had belatedly declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew, although no one seemed to be obeying it.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}On This Day | Turmoil grips Philippines in 1986 as People Power ends Marcos rule – from the SCMP archive

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}On this day 40 years ago, a series of massive protests in Philippines ended the decades-long rule of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Snr

Marcos on brink of Manila turmoil

On This Day | Turmoil grips Philippines in 1986 as People Power ends Marcos rule – from the SCMP archive

On this day 40 years ago, a series of massive protests in Philippines ended the decades-long rule of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Snr