EDSA Revolution I

FEBRUARY 22 – 25, 1986

People Power Revolution
Date February 22–25, 1986 (4 days)
Location Philippines, primarily Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, Metro Manila

Caused by •Assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr. in 1983

•Fraud during the 1986 snap presidential election
•Decades of oppressive and totalitarian rule

Goals Removal of Ferdinand Marcos and installation of Corazon Aquino as

President
Resulted •Revolutionary victoryRemoval of Ferdinand Marcos from office
in •End of the Marcos era
•Marcos fled to Hawaii
•Start of the Fifth Philippine Republic
•Corazon Aquino becomes President of the Philippines
FEBRUARY 22, 1986
• Marcos' Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and the Armed Forces
Vice-Chief of Staff command of Fidel V. Ramos, both withdrew their
support from the government and called upon the resignation of then
President Marcos.
• The Catholic Church represented by Archbishop Jaime Cardinal
Sin along with the priests and nuns called for the support of all
Filipinos who believed in democracy.
• Close to a hundred thousand held vigil—a number that would only
swell.
FEBRUARY 23, 1986
• Enrile and Ramos met along EDSA, surrounded and protected by a
growing number of supporters eager for what already seemed then as a
fomenting revolution.
• Marcos and his remaining officials had mobilized forces still under his
command: Columns of armored tanks formed barricades along EDSA,
with heavily armed battalions as escort.
• Thus began the banded Filipinos’ show of force—through song and
slogans; through earnest extensions of friendship to hard-faced
soldiers; through the flashing of the Laban sign; through prayers and
linked arms and rosaries, human barricades and flowers.
FEBRUARY 24, 1986
1:00
• Church Bells
ring.
• Words
spread about
Marcos
planning an
attack
FEBRUARY 24, 1986
3:00 AM
• Enrile warns the civilians about two oncoming armored personnel
carriers APCs
• Human barricades led by nuns and priests prepare to block the
path of the APCs.
6:00 AM
• Rumors about Marcos Family departure came and was later on
confirmed by Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos
• The crowd rejoiced.
FEBRUARY 24, 1986
9:00 AM
• Marcos appeared on television to declare a state of emergency and
announce that he had no plans to resign or concede.
• People continued to EDSA and fill the areas of Greenhills, San Juan,
Ortigas, Libis, Cubao near Crame to protect, Ramos, Enrile, and other
officials.