Ferdinand Marcos was the President of the Philippines from 1966 to 1986. He was a law student who was convicted of murder but later won an appeal. He claimed to be a guerrilla leader during World War II, but this is disputed. His first term as President was successful, but his second term was marred by election overspend, inflation, and nepotism. He declared martial law in 1972, which lasted for over nine years and was marked by human rights abuses. He was ousted from power in a bloodless revolution in 1986 and later indicted for embezzlement. He died in 1989.
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralín Marcos was born on September 11, 1917 and died on September 28, 1989. He was elected to the presidency of the Philippines in 1966 and was ousted from power in 1986 in a massive but bloodless revolution.
As a young law student, Marcos was arrested and convicted of the murder of Julio Nalundasan, a man who had twice defeated Marcos’ father for a seat in the National Assembly. During his incarceration, he studied for the 1938 Philippine Bar Exams and achieved one of the highest scores in the history of the exam. He then appealed to the Supreme Court and won.
Marcos, like many young men of the time, was drafted into the Philippine Army at the outbreak of World War II. He dressed as an intelligence officer and later took part in the Bataan Death March, where thousands of Filipino and American soldiers, some already suffering from malaria or otherwise injured, were forced to endure a treacherous 30 miles (42 km) excursion as ordered by the head of the Japanese occupation. They received no food or water and were subjected to violent abuse.
Marcos often claimed to be one of the main guerrilla leaders of World War II, recounting many heroic deeds against the enemy. Critics claim, however, that these stories are mere fabrications. In any case, Marcos launched an impressive political career immediately after the war. He was elected to Congress and quickly gained entry to the Senate. After four years as a senator, he ascended to the presidency.
By most accounts, Marcos’ first term as head of state was not bad. There have been major improvements in infrastructure, government finances have been stabilized, and foreign policies have been secure. On the alleged strength of his performance, therefore, Marcos was re-elected for a second term.
Unfortunately, massive election overspend, which some say is due to Marcos’ vote buying and other electoral fraud activities, has led to higher inflation rates and the devaluation of the Philippine peso. Natural disasters hit the country one after another. Claims of nepotism, but also bribery and bribery, have been hurled at the administration. An activist student population has begun calling for reforms. The Communist Party of the Philippines has reemerged. The mood of the day was charged and the president responded forcefully. Student demonstrations were teargassed, and martial law was declared in 1972.
Martial law, which lasted over nine years, effectively suspended the writ of habeas corpus, meaning that “subversives”, or anyone speaking out against the administration, could now be lawfully picked up and detained without any of process. Students, journalists, suspected communists, even political opponents have all been locked up in detention centres. Stories of torture, rape and other types of abuse are rampant. The media became a tightly controlled government outlet and elections were seen as nothing more than a sham.
In 1981, Marcos officially lifted martial law, in part to prepare for Pope John Paul II’s arrival in the country. However, this was seen as a mostly superficial act by the opposition, as nothing really changed. Two years later, Marcos’ political rival, Benigno Aquino Jr., was assassinated on the tarmac of Manila International Airport. Two million Filipinos showed their support by attending mass funeral rites for the dead statesman. This assassination is largely seen as the catalyst for the downfall of the Marcos regime.
In 1986, Marcos was finally ousted from power in a bloodless revolution in which millions of Filipinos participated. People from all walks of life, from students to nuns and priests, crowded the streets for four days, demanding Marcos’ resignation. During this time, trusted allies of the administration began a systematic defection, and soldiers called in to “crowd control” refused to open fire. Ferdinand Marcos and his family were forced to flee to Hawaii for their safety after being granted safe passage by the US government. The presidential palace was looted by an angry mob. The Marcoses were later indicted for embezzlement.
Ferdinand Marcos died of kidney, heart, and lung disease in Honolulu on September 28, 1989. His health had already been failing even while in office, and the stress created by the fall of his regime is theorized to have greatly contributed to his decline.
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