Thread by @indiohistorian

#TodayinHistory in 1986, #EDSA #PeoplePower Revolution succeeded. Ferdinand Marcos lost control of the military. At 10:45 am, Cory Aquino took her oath as 11th #PH President. At 9:25 pm, Marcos & family left Malacañang & fled to Hawaii. The world was astonished. THREAD. #EDSA36

On 22 Feb, w/ the call of Jaime Cardinal Sin for people to form human barricades to protect the military defectors led by Defense Sec Juan Ponce Enrile & AFP Vice Chief of Staff Fidel Ramos, thousands responded, bringing w/ them donations, bibles, & rosaries.

On 23 Feb, the 1st attempt to arrest the defectors were repelled by civilians who braved their bare bodies at risk of being crushed by metal tanks or being shot at.

https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1496411093656379394?s=20&t=JBPePJmnvcUhPD1AkuvK7g

On Feb 24, the same thing happened, even as Marcos issued his kill order. The crowd increased immensely, as more & more units in the Air Force & Army defected on the side of the people. Peaceful street protests also erupted in Baguio, Iloilo, Cebu, Davao.

https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1496759510148345856?s=20&t=JBPePJmnvcUhPD1AkuvK7g

Even when the crowd in #EDSA had thinned in late evening to dawn the prev 2 days, unarmed millions of civilians would go back during the day. EDSA was described as a hybrid of street parties, prayer vigils, & concerts. Catholics, Protestants, & Muslims had their own schedules.

At dawn, the Marcoses knew that they had to flee the country. Marcos asked U.S. Senator Paul Laxalt, U.S. Pres. Reagan’s confidant, what to do.

Laxalt: “Mr. President, I’m not bound by diplomatic restraint. I’m talking for myself. I think you should cut and cut cleanly.

Since night to dawn, both Cory camp & reformist generals were negotiating. Generals were arguing against holding Cory's inaugural at Club Filipino in Greenhills, saying it's indefensible if Marcos attacked. They offered a chopper to fly her to Camp Crame. Cory refused.

Cory: "Camp Crame was the 1st place where #Ninoy, [&] every political detainee was brought during the martial law years. Filipinos once lived in dread of being taken there. Today it may be a place of heroism, but unfortunately a lot of tortures, executions

https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1296765183189069825?s=20&t=JBPePJmnvcUhPD1AkuvK7g

... & detentions took place there in the past. The 2nd thing is, I have already told the people that I will be at Club Filipino, & I fully intend to keep my promise. I chose it bec it is a neutral & public place. And I absolutely refuse to take a helicopter."

Initially set at 8am, the inaugural was delayed to 2 hrs. Enrile received a call from #Marcos: “Why don’t we organize a provisional gov? I just want a graceful exit. I will cancel the election, we will organize a provisional gov, & I’ll remain only as honorary pres until 1987.”

Enrile: “Our grp is committed already to supporting Mrs. Aquino. We have already given our word to her… Our mission here is to see that the will of the people is respected..." Marcos was disappointed. His loyalists paled in comparison to millions in EDSA spilling to Quezon Ave.

Enrile had to cut the convo short to hurry to Club Filipino for Corazon Aquino's inauguration. At 10:40 am, Doy Laurel took his oath as Vice President before Justice Vicente Abad Santos.

At 10:46 am, Mrs. Corazon Aquino laid her hand on a red Bible, held by Aurora Aquino, #Ninoy’s mother. Before Justice Claudio Teehankee, Mrs. Aquino took her oath. After the oath, a thunderous applause & cheers erupted. There were dancing in the streets.

The Lord's Prayer, & afterwards, Bayan Ko, were sung. Almost all were in tears.

Cory: "It is fitting & proper that if the rights & liberties of our people were taken away at midnight 14 years ago, the people should recover their lost rights & liberties in the full light of day."

Meanwhile, at 11:45 am, approx. 2,500 of Marcos loyalists were in Malacañang lawn garden (fronting today's Kalayaan Hall), chanting "Marcos pa rin!" At the half-filled Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Palace, the Marcos family entered, in prep for Ferdinand Marcos' inaugural.

At 11:55 am, live on national TV via Channel 9, Marcos took his oath as president before Chief Justice Ramon Aquino. The last hurrah, however, was cut short when the AFP defectors destroyed the TV station's transmitter thereby cutting the broadcast, simultaneous w/ Ch. 2 & 13.

Marcos delivered a speech to his followers at the Palace lawn, w/ crowd shouting "Martial Law! Martial Law!" Imelda Marcos sung "Dahil Sa'yo." Meanwhile the rest of the First Family was in contact w/ the US Embassy for their escape, kept secret w/ the exception of close aides.

At 9:25 pm, Marcoses vacated Malacañang, assisted by the US, fleeing to Hawaii. The EDSA millions, survivors of an oppressive regime, rejoiced. Finally, the dictatorship was over.

Major newspapers spreads a common headline on 26 Feb 1986: "Marcos flees!" #EDSA36

Left w/ great debt, extreme poverty, & broken institutions, #PH faced its greatest civic challenge yet: what to do with this freedom earned with much courage, blood, and tears.

Roger Rosenblatt of @TIME, 10 March 1986, on #EDSA36:

content.time.com/time/subscribe… #QOTD

National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin responded to Rosenblatt on #EDSA36 w/ these words:

https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1232318613891121157?s=20&t=JBPePJmnvcUhPD1AkuvK7g

Photos:
- Millions in EDSA, 24 Feb 86, 📸 Roland Neveu
- La Naval de Manila, 📸 by Sonny Camarillo
- West Ave.-Que Ave. intersection,📸 Linglong Ortiz
- Aquino takes her oath, 25 Feb 86, Presidential Museum & Library
- Marcos after inaugural, 📸 Romeo Vitug

- PDI, Manila Times, & Malaya, 26 Feb 1986, personal collection

For @subselfie.
@jmnualla
@tonitiemsin