Cory Aquino’s

Speech before the

US Congress
PART 1
By Prof. Jet Castillo
How the EDSA Revolution transpired

• The Context of Martial Law

• The Ninoy Aquino Assassination
• The 1986 Snap Election
Background
The Background: Martial Law
• Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law on Sept.
21, 1972
• With it, he, in essence, abolished the 3rd
Republic and its Constitution.
• He instituted a new government- the 4th
Republic, also called “Bagong Lipunan”
• It was a dictatorial government.
Martial Law
• Marcos jailed all his critics, including the most vocal
one, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino
• Human rights were abolished. No more freedom of
the press, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly,
etc.
Martial Law
• Cronyism was the new economic order
• Crony- a friend or relative of Marcos who got
businesses and companies from Marcos (he
sequestered it from his enemies). In return, they give
Marcos some “kick back”
Martial Law
• The AFP got the largest chunk of the National Budget
• The US did not stop Marcos because they would also
benefit from Martial Law:
• Prevent communism from further spreading
• Maintain the US Bases in Clark and Subic
• US companies continue operations here
The Ninoy Aquino Assassination
• Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. was assassinated on
August 21, 1983 at the Manila International
Airport.
• Aug 21 became a holiday – “Ninoy Aquino
Day”
• He was returning to the Philippines after
spending 3 years in the USA.
• He had a heart bypass operation in the US.
The Ninoy Aquino Assassination
• As he was being escorted by soldiers down the stairs
(he was on the 3rd or 4th to the last step, a gunman
shot him at close-range, at the back of the head. The
bullet entered near the left ear and made its exit at
the chin)
• Nobody saw the gunman
The Ninoy Aquino Assassination
• The escorts say it was Rolando Galman who shot
Ninoy. He was standing at the bottom of the staircase
when Ninoy was shot.
• The public felt it wasn’t Galman who did it.
• Marcos assembled an investigating committee to
solve this case.
The Ninoy Aquino Assassination
• The committee convicted the 15 escort soldiers but
failed to identify the mastermind.
• Daily rallies happened to express the people’s disgust.
• Marcos was pressured by the US government to
uphold democracy in the Philippines
The 1986 Snap Election
• As a response, Marcos set a “Snap
Election” to be held in 1986.
• He felt the Snap Election would show
the world that the Filipino people still
want him to be President despite the
controversies surrounding him.
• Cory Aquino (Ninoy’s widow) ran
against Marcos
The 1986 Snap Election
• Marcos won by a landslide (because he cheated)
• His Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, and AFP Vice
Chief of Staff Gen. Fidel Ramos plotted a coup de etat.
• But their plan was discovered by Marcos
• They went to Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo and
waited for the arresting teams to get them.
The EDSA Revolution
• Butz Aquino and Jaime Cardinal Sin made a radio
broadcast to the people to come out and surround
Camps Crame and Aguinaldo.
• Human barricades were assembled on EDSA to
protect Enrile and Ramos
• Tanks came to take Enrile and Ramos, but they joined
the EDSA crowd to protest against Marcos
The EDSA Revolution
• On the 4th day of the uprising, February 25, Marcos
realized that the Filipino people and the military are
no longer on his side.
• Marcos left the country for Hawaii, with the help of
the Americans.
• Cory became the next President
The EDSA Revolution
• The world was so amazed how a bloodless revolution
happened in the Philippines.
• The US Congress invited Cory to speak before them
about this.
Instructions
• Let us read the primary document…
• Answer the seatwork in BBL
 Cory Aquino’s
Speech before the
US Congress
PART 1
By Prof. Jet Castillo