Wednesday, February 23, 2011

THE TIMELINE: PEOPLE POWER


Ang sumusunod na artikulo ay halaw sa online encyclopedia na Wikipedia. Ang buong kredito para sa panulat na ito ay lubos na ipinapaabot sa Wikipedia.


Commemorative statue of the Revolution at Camp Aguinaldo

Our Lady of EDSA, built in 1989 to commemorate the 1986 Revolution.

 

1983

  • August 21 - Ninoy Aquino is assassinated
  • September 21 - As the government celebrates Barangay Day/National Thanksgiving Day to commemorate the declaration of martial law, thousands of Ninoy supporters hold a "National Day of Sorrow" and call for unity in the ranks to topple the Marcos regime.

1984

  • May 14 - Elections for the Batasang Pambansa (parliament) are held. The United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) and the Pilipino Democratic Party-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) coalition decide to take part. Cory Aquino, Ninoy's widow, throws her support behind the opposition candidates. They surprise Marcos by winning 56 seats out of the 183 amid familiar allegations of fraud.
  • October 24 - The Agrava Board, tasked with investigating the Aquino assassination, concludes that there was a military conspiracy behind the killing and implicates AFP Chief of Staff Fabian Ver.

1985

  • February 22 - General Ver, 24 soldiers, and one civilian stand trial before the Sandiganbayan for the Aquino murder. Ver takes a leave of absence as Armed Forces Chief of Staff.
  • August - Opposition MPs file a motion for impeachment against Marcos in the Batasan, citing culpable violation of the Constitution and "hidden wealth." The majority party squelches the motion.
  • November 3 - Marcos suddenly announces the holding of snap elections after alleged prodding from the United States.
  • December 2 - General Ver and all this co-accused are acquitted by the Sandiganbayan. Marcos reinstates him as Chief of Staff amid widespread protest.
  • December 3 - Corazon Aquino declares her candidacy for President. Salvador Laurel, who earlier has wanted to run for the same position, agrees to be her running mate.
  • December 5 - The Opposition makes a formal announcement of the Aquino-Laurel tandem for the snap elections.

1986

February 7

  • A heavy voter turnout and the judging of the voters' list create confusion during the presidential elections, resulting in the disenfranchisement of three million voters. Incidents of fraud, vote-buying, intimidation, and violence are reported. Election returns are tampered with. The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) tally board shows Marcos leading while the National Citizen's Movement for the Free Elections (NAMFREL) consistently shows Cory Aquino ahead by a comfortable margin.

February 9

  • Thirty computer workers at the COMELEC tabulation center walk out, protesting the tampering of election results.

February 11

  • Oppositionist ex-Governor Evelio Javier of Antique is murdered in front of the provincial capitol where canvassing is being held. Primary suspects are the bodyguards of the local KBL leader.

February 13

February 22

Attempts
at regime change
in the Philippines
(1970–2007)
Civil unrest (1970)
People Power (1986)
1986-87 plots
Honasan's Second (1989)
Fall of Estrada (2001)
May 1 riots (2001)
Oakwood mutiny (2003)
State of emergency (2006)
Manila Peninsula rebellion (2007)

    • Robert Ongpin phones Marcos and asks why his security detail have been arrested. Marcos assured the Trade Minister that he will look into the matter, and promised to send a detail of the Presidential Security Group as replacement.
  • 9:00 AM
    • Fabian Ver sends Col. Rolando Abadilla to Col. Honasan to inform the latter that their plans have been made known already and that RAM should not make any rash decisions.
  • 10:00 AM
    • Lt. Col. Honasan phones Kapunan and informs him that they are not going to abort the mission, but to simply "freeze" the operation for the next 24 hours.
    • Honasan reviews the situation and assesses the prepositioning of the troops from his office in GHQAFP Camp Aguinaldo
    • Robert Ongpin calls Enrile, who was then having breakfast with Deputy Prime Minister Jose Rono, to inform him that the security detail assigned to him from the Ministry of Defense have been arrested by troops loyal to Fabian Ver.
    • Cory Aquino leaves for Cebu to continue the Civil Disobedience Campaign.
  • 12:00 NN
    • Navy Capt. Rex Robles was assigned to act as a liaison with the diplomatic community in case the RAM officers will be arrested, and tell the world of their story.
    • An urgent message from the RAM officers was sent to the U.S. Embassy in Manila to seek assistance. No reply.
    • Lt. Col. Honasan and Kapunan leave the GHQAFP for Enrile's residence in Dasmariñas Village.
    • U.S. Amb. Stephen Bosworth along with Philip Habib, Pres. Ronald Reagan's personal envoy to Marcos, visit the Palace for a meeting with the President. They discuss the recent elections and the political situation. The U.S. envoys call Marcos to retire Ver.
    • Lt. Col. Honasan and Kapunan interrupt Minister Enrile's lunch with his wife, Christina, and update him on the negative developments, and assess the situation. The officers suggest the Minister head to Cagayan to fight it out another day. Enrile rebuffs the two and says that "Why Cagayan? If I die, I might as well die here." Enrile calls for the RAM officers to regroup in Camp Aguinaldo.
    • Lt. Gen. Ramos has lunch with publisher Max Soliven, and confides to him why he has not resigned despite the "humiliations" caused by Marcos. Ramos explains that the few good officers who are members of RAM still need someone on top to lean on.
  • 12:45 PM
    • Still in a meeting with Amb. Bosworth and Philip Habib, Marcos states that his government shall consider "maximum tolerance" on the public protests, but shall strike back the moment the opposition will make a move against his people.
    • While Marcos was having his meeting with the U.S. envoys, Capt. Ricardo Morales, one of Imelda Marcos' close-in security and who is a mole of RAM in the PSG, reconnoiters the defenses of the Palace grounds, and took the initiative to withdraw some firearms from the PSG armory. He is arrested and is brought to the office of the Aide-de-camp for interrogation.
  • 1:45 PM
    • As the meeting came to a close, barely has Amb. Bosworth teft the room, Gen. Ver storms into the Presidential study to convey the recent arrest of four officers in the PSG who are found to be members of RAM.
    • Philip Habib confides as he leaves Malacañang, that "Cory won the election and deserves our support. Marcos is finished, and we ought to offer him asylum in the United States."
  • 2:00 PM
    • With their plans discovered, Enrile and the RAM officers, had to change their direction. They decided that they need to draw the public support if they are going to storm this crisis out.
  • 2:15 PM
  • 2:30 PM
    • Enrile changes into jeans and brings out his Uzi and calls Lt. Gen. Ramos to confide him on their current situation and how their plot has been uncovered by Fabian Ver. Enrile asks Ramos "Will you support us?" Fidel Ramos: I said at once, "Yes, sir, I'm with you, all the way... I will join you in Camp Aguinaldo."
    • Enrile bids his wife goodbye, telling her that he might be arrested. He asks her to call the foreign press and Cardinal Sin.
  • 2:45 PM
  • 3:00 PM
    • Enrile, Honasan, and Kapunan, head for GHQAFP in Camp Aguinaldo in the Minister's helicopter.
    • Lt. Col. Honasan gets on the radio and calls the code "Joggers! Joggers!" to his radio operator in Camp Aguinaldo to activate their call for a regrouping.
  • 3:30 PM
    • Minister Enrile and his entourage arrive in Camp Aguinaldo and break-out brand new M16, Uzi and Galil.
    • Honasan is tasked to secure Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame across EDSA. The headcount is only 200 armed men.
  • 3:45 PM
    • Enrile calls Amb. Bosworth and Amb. Kiyoshi Somiya of Japan, to inform them that he and his men are going to hold it out in GHQAFP.
    • Enrile calls UN population czar and good friend Rafael Salas to bid him goodbye as the end might be near.
    • Enrile gets through to Cardinal Sin and seeks his moral and active support, as the former felt that he will not survive the day.
  • 4:00 PM
    • Enrile and RAM are looking for Lt. Gen. Ramos. A "laundry-bag" solution is presented, that should Ramos not play a cooperative role, they will get him and hide him until Malacañang has been taken by force by RAM.
  • 4:30 PM
    • Enrile instructs Honasan to fetch Brig. Gen. Pedro Balbanero, the Military Police Brigade commander. Balbanero had under his custody the 19 persons led by Lt. Michael Aspirin.
    • The first military region to go to the rebel side was Regional Unified Command No. 8, which included troops in Mrs. Marcos's own province, Leyte, led by commander, Brig. Gen. Salvador Mison who was in Camp Aguinaldo.
  • 5:00 PM
    • Gen. Fabian Ver, unaware of the recent developments in Camp Aguinaldo, is with the First Lady in Villamor Air Base chapel as wedding sponsors for the son of Major Gen. Vicente Piccio, Philip. Ver's men out of fear did not dare break the long ceremony to relay the news on Enrile and RAM's actions.
    • Col. Jose Almonte receives a call from Lt. Col. Victor Batac informing him that their original plan has been compromised. Plan B was to take place, and this was to rally the group to the various military camps and bases in the Archipelago.
    • Brig. Gen. Balbanero confronts Col. Rolando Abadilla, Metrocom Intelligence Chief, in Camp Aguinaldo, and both present to Enrile that they can probably make an arrangement for a dialogue between the group and Malacañang.
    • Gen. Ver's men finally get through after the wedding ceremony. The AFP Chief is caught shocked as his last intelligence brief on the situation through their mole in ranks of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement was that a coup d'etat shall only take place the next day at 2:00 AM. Ver and Imelda skip the reception and rush to Malacañang.
  • 5:30 PM
    • Pres. Marcos first response to the mutiny was to call his family to Malacañang.
    • Ramos bids his wife Ming goodbye at their house in Ayala Alabang Village and informs her that he will head to Camp Aguinaldo to make his formal defection to the RAM camp.
  • 5:45 PM
    • Ver meets with Balbanero and Abadilla and informs them that the President wants to talk with Enrile. Balbanero tries to reach Enrile through the phones to no avail. Balbanero and Abadilla head to Camp Aguinaldo.
  • 6:00 PM
    • Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos arrives in Camp Aguinaldo. He does not answer any questions thrown by the media, but heads straight to the office of Enrile.
  • 6:30 PM
    • Head count in Camp Aguinaldo is 320 officers and men. Addition came from Col. Gador's "Cagayan 100."
    • The media was waiting for a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo for an official word from Enrile and Ramos when Gen. Balbanero and Col. Abadilla conveyed the message to Enrile that the President wants to talk to them. Enrile brush aside the idea.
    • Malacañang receives an "report" that Ramos and Enrile were "officially withdrawing their support" of the Marcos administration.
  • 6:45 PM
    • Enrile finally agrees to talk with Gen. Ver. Both make a gentleman's agreement that no one was to make a move that night.
    • Gen. Balbanero wires to all regional commanders of the AFP of the truce between Camp Aguinaldo and Malacañang.
    • Enrile and Ramos, surrounded by the their staff and guards hold a press conference at the Social Hall of the GHQAFP, and make the official announcement of their withdrawal of support of the Marcos administration.
    • Enrile states in his opening that "We are going to die here fighting."
    • Ramos states "There has become an elite Armed Forces of the Philippines that no longer represents the rank and officers' corps of the Armed Forces. ...The President of 1986 is not the President to whom we dedicated our service. it is clear that he no longer is the able and capable commander-in-chief that we count upon. ... He has put his personal family interest above the interest of the people. We do not consider President Marcos as now being a duly constituted authority."
    • Enrile adds "I cannot in my conscience recognize the President as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and I am appealing to the other members of the Cabinet to heed the will of the people expressed during the last elections. Because in my own region, I know that we cheated in the elections to the extent of 350,000 votes. ... No, I will not serve under Mrs. Aquino even if she is installed as a president. ... Our loyalty is to the Constitution and the country. ... You are welcome to join us. We have no food..."
    • Ramos closes "I am not even acting Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces. I think that when he made that announcement to you and to the whole world last Sunday, he was just fooling us, and he was fooling the entire world because he flip-flopped so many times already. ... I would like to appeal to the fair and to the dedicated and people-oriented members of the AFP and the INP to join us in this crusade for better government."
  • 7:00 PM
  • Approximately 7:00 PM
    • Wency Reyes and friends goes on air Radio Veritas. He was the first to call for people and for moral support. He was also the only one who called for a million people.
    • Cory receives the news of the withdrawal of support by Enrile and Ramos. She calls Manila to verify the report.
    • President Marcos was in his study. Malacañang Press Corps was advised that the President was resting, but suspicion came as Gen. Ver, his son, Col. Irwin VerPresidential Security Command, and Information Minister Gregorio Cendana came in and out of the room. who is the Chief-of-Staff of the
  • 7:15 PM
  • 7:30 PM
    • Maj. Gen. Prospero Olivas is blood pressure shoots up and he is brought to Camp Panopio. Ramos calls Olivas in Camp Panopio, who commands the riot police, Malacañang's first line of defense, to confirm with him if he was on their side. Maj. Gen. Olivas concurs that he is with the rebel camp.
  • 8:00 PM
    • Malacañang Press Corps was advised that there will be a televised press conference at 10:30 PM at the Reception Hall of the Palace.
    • 50 Law students from San Beda College picket 150 meters from the gates Malacañang.
  • 8:15 PM
  • 8:30 PM
    • Cardinal Jaime Sin goes on air and calls the people to "Please, do not be alarmed, stay home."
  • 8:45 PM
    • The rebel group was taken aback by the Cardinal's announcement and calls him to clarify their request. They asked him to send the people to the camps.
  • 9:00 PM
    • Cardinal Sin goes on air once more and says "Leave your homes now ...I ask you to support Mr. Enrile and Gen. Ramos, give them food if you like, they are our friends."
    • Agapito "Butz" Aquino, younger brother of Ninoy Aquino receives a rumor that opposition figures will be arrested.
    • Enrile phones Louis Beltran, the Editor-in-Chief of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and asks him to contact opposition leaders to go to the radio stations and air their support of the rebel group.
    • Inquirer co-chairman Betty Go-Belmonte telephoned Member of Parliament Cecilia Munoz Palma. MP Palma immediately made a call to Radio Veritas and was one of the first opposition leaders to express support for the revolution.
  • 9:30 PM
    • Butz Aquino with the August Twenty-One Movement ATOM Executive Committee deliberate on whether to support Enrile and Ramos. The Executive Committee wants to wait on Cory Aquino for instructions. Butz Aquino finally decided to head to Camp Aguinaldo to support the rebels.
    • Cory Aquino meanwhile is also deciding on what actions to take after receiving the call from ATOM. She requests to speak with Enrile first.
    • Col. Antonio Sotelo, Commander of the 15th Strike Wing, received a call at his Villamor Air Base office from Col. Hector Tarrazona, who was also a member of RAM, asking the Commander whether he is with them. Col. Sotelo confirms that he supports RAM, and orders his Squadron Commanders to arm their attack helicopters.
Posted by Ehlmr Mawreyz at 2/23/2011 10:18:00 AM
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