Thread by @indiohistorian

#TodayinHistory in 1986, months after #EDSA People Power Revolution, some Marcos loyalists in the military led by Arturo Tolentino occupied the Manila Hotel. Tolentino proclaimed himself "acting President." This was 1st of the 7 coup attempts vs Pres. Corazon Aquino's gov. THREAD

In the Snap Election in early Feb 1986, 2 contending parties competed: Ferdinand Marcos w/ Arturo Tolentino, & Corazon Aquino w/ Salvador Laurel (for Pres & VP respectively). COMELEC proclaimed victory for Marcos despite clear electoral fraudulence.

https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1491263654532378624?s=20&t=oF0hmyiEs75EuhfAER33Dg

Aquino challenged the result as mass boycott of Marcos crony companies gained momentum. Meanwhile, the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) planned a coup vs. Marcos but was prematurely discovered. Upon failing, the coup plotters defected from the AFP.

https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1496032111538892804?s=20&t=oF0hmyiEs75EuhfAER33Dg

Jaime Cardinal Sin, Manila archbishop, called for people to protect the defectors by barricading Camp Aguinaldo. Millions responded, & it became the EDSA People Power Revolution, that toppled the Marcos dictatorship & swept Aquino to power.

https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1497074146030673930?s=20&t=oF0hmyiEs75EuhfAER33Dg

More than 4 mos after #EDSA, at 3pm, in the usual Marcos loyalist rally in Luneta, Arturo Tolentino declared himself as "acting President" as Marcos' VP. All of a sudden, around 300 fully-armed soldiers, all loyal to Marcos, mingled w/ the crowd. They began occupying Manila Hotel

Tolentino explained that he was only acting on Marcos' orders. Marcos then was in Hawaii, who had fled there upon being deposed from power. Enrile & Ramos, reassuring Pres. Aquino of their loyalty, negotiated the rebels' surrender.

Upon being asked for comment by the press, Pres. Cory Aquino said, ″It’s best to ignore him. He’s nobody to contend with. I respect him only because of his age.″ At the time, Pres. Aquino was in Cagayan de Oro City while VP Laurel was on an official visit to Spain.

The attempted rebellion in the hotel would only last 37 hours. Upon seeing no support from the public, w/ the AFP having the hotel surrounded, Tolentino & rebels surrendered on 8 July.

This was the 1st of the 7 coup attempts to destabilize the Aquino gov. While there were many lapses made during her term, Corazon Aquino is credited for maintaining normalcy & assuring peaceful transfer of power in 1992 as #PH recovered from debt incurred by the dictatorship.

Photos:
- Arturo Tolentino announcing that he is acting President, from the We Forum, July 15-21, 1986 issue, from the Presidential Museum & Library
- Coup Attempts & Military Interventions during the 5th Republic (Historical Atlas of the Republic, 2016).

For @subselfie.
@jmnualla
@tonitiemsin