Pacete: Marcos and his Martial Law, 2

MARCOS lifted martial law on January 17, 1981 purportedly to gain approval from Pope John Paul II who was scheduled to visit the Philippines. It was just a “face lift” (pogi points) to show foreign powers and creditors.

His 1973 Constitution created the “Fourth” Philippine Republic. From the intended parliamentary democracy, it shifted to a mixed presidential-parliamentary dictatorship.

Marcos was the head of the nation and chief executive. The 1973 constitution provided that the president could be removed from office by impeachment.

The opposition in the Batasang Pambansa prepared a resolution to impeach the president... graft and corruption, violation of the Constitution and his oath of office, and a litany of horrible crimes.

The impeachment did not move an inch because there were more Marcos loyalists who rejected the resolution.

It was felt that America was already putting a pressure on Marcos. He was obliged to call for a snap election on February 7, 1986.

Marcos was running for president and Arturo Tolentino was his vice president. On the other hand, there was Corazon Aquino for president and Salvador Laurel for vice president. It was KBL versus UNIDO-PDP-Laban Party.

The KBLs cried for “Marcos pa rin!” The Cory-Doy group was chanting “Tama na, sobra na, palitan na!” “Ituloy and Laban ni Ninoy!” became popular to remind the Filipinos of the assassination of Ninoy Aquino at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport.

Marcos claimed that he won. Cory claimed that she won also. If stories are to be believed, Cory and Laurel won with a margin of around 900,000 votes over Marcos-Tolentino tandem.

The results came from the National Citizens Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel).

The tally of the Comelec made Marcos-Tolentino win. They were officially declared winners.

Marcos held his own inauguration at Malacañang covered by T.V. Channels 2, 9, and 13. Corazon Aquino took her oath of office before senior justice Claudio Teehankee at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan.

Juan Ponce Enrile and Gen. Fidel Ramos turned their back against Marcos. Senator Paul Laxalt (Republican) told Marcos in a telephone call that it was time “to cut, and cut cleanly.” Four American helicopters transported the Marcos family from Malacañang to Clark Airbase.

Next in the itinerary is Guam, and then next is Hawaii. That ended the role of the dictator. Are we going to nurture another dictator? It is up for the Filipinos.

“He who fights the monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster also.”

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