FACT CHECK | Video claiming Marcos did not want bloodshed during People Power lacks context

February 25, 2022 , 05:20 PM

By Mikee Garcia

(February 25, 2022) – A video from YouTube claiming former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. loved the Filipino people and did not want bloodshed during the near bloodless, four-day EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986 has been making rounds on social media, pointing out the late dictator dissuaded his former military commanders from firing upon the crowd.

This claim lacks context.

CLAIM:

Youtube channel Sangkay Janjan TV uploaded a video last year entitled, “Actual VIDEO na KUHA sa EDSA 1 ni Marcos na itinago ng Media.” It stated that contrary to “fake history and the dilawans,” Marcos did not want to harm the people during the peaceful protest.

The video’s main proof was a clip of Marcos ordering General Fabian Ver, then chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to “disperse the crowd (of civilians) without shooting them.”

RATING: LACKS CONTEXT

FACTS:

The late president Corazon Aquino called for civil disobedience after the conteste snap elections on February 7, 1986, where Marcos was declared by the rubber parliament as the winner despite widespread cheating. Taking advantage of the tense situation, a group of soldiers loyal to the former minister Juan Ponce Enrile plotted to stage a coup d’etat but were discovered by the president.

Enrile, who was joined by then-Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Fidel Ramos, announced during a hasty press conference on February 22 they were breaking away from the dictator, precipitating the People Power when the late Cardinal Jaime Sin called on the people to protect Enrile and Ramos from Marcos’ military.

The United States stepped into the picture to avoid bloodshed, advising a peaceful resolution of the political crisis.

”We should not be in the position of telling the Filipinos in this moment of trial how to organize their Government,” said one U.S. State Department official in a statement issued by the White House as the administration of President Ronald Reagan tried to distance itself from the problem. Reagan was a known close friend of the Marcoses.

An intelligence report reached Washington and indicated that Marcos was planning to use force to end the crisis, attacking Camps Aguinaldo and Crame where tens of thousands of people had converged to protect Enrile and Ramos.

President Reagan had threatened Marcos with halting U.S. military and economic aid.

The U.S. had committed to providing $900 million over five years, divided equally between economic and military aid, as part of a 1983 agreement on the Americans’ use of two large military bases in the Philippines.

Since the military aid was given to strengthen the Philippines’ security against communist insurgency, White House spokesman Larry Speakes said, ”We cannot continue our existing military assistance if the Government uses that aid against other elements of the Philippine military which enjoy substantial popular backing.

”The [U.S.] President urges in the strongest possible terms that violence be avoided, that Filipinos of good will work to resolve the ongoing crisis.”

During the crisis, Marcos ordered Brigadier General Artemio Tadiar to move a column of heavy armored vehicles from Fort Bonifacio’s Marine base to Camp Aguinaldo to crush the mutiny. At the same time, the army’s batteries of howitzer artillery were aimed at Camp Aguinaldo.

Marcos was determined to end the mutiny by using force regardless of the civilians around the camp.

However, Marcos was dissuaded by the Americans who told him “cut and cut clean” and give up his power. By the time Marcos ordered to disperse the crowd in Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame, many military and police units had defected to Enrile and Ramos and it was doubtful if the military would obey him.

Marcos’ iron-fisted regime led to many atrocities on Filipinos. Amnesty International reported that 3,240 were killed, 34,000 were tortured, and 70,000 were imprisoned during Martial Law. Some forms of human rights abuses that were reported include unlawful detention, electrocution, and rape.

WHY IT MATTERS:

As of writing, the video has over 1.9 million views, 88,000 likes, and 15,000 comments since it was uploaded last year. It regained traction recently in light of the anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. Sangkay Janjan TV has more than 845,000 subscribers on YouTube. It could mislead the people.

News 5 is part of #FactsFirstPH which brings together various sectors that are committed to promoting truth in the public space, and exacting accountability on those who harm it with lies. For those interested to join the initiative, e-mail info@factsfirst.ph. Message the Facebook page of News 5 if you want to have any claims fact-checked.

Read our fact-checking policy here.

(MM)

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