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The 21st anniversary of People Power went virtually
unnoticed in the Philippines Thursday—a far cry from February 22,
1986, when more than a million Filipinos packed the streets of the
capital calling for the removal of dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
For President Arroyo, who placed
a simple wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the anniversary
had a double meaning as it marked a year since she crushed a
military revolt against her administration.
A year on, Mrs. Arroyo’s hold
on power has become stronger, much due to the debt she owes to the
military, analysts have said.
Twenty-eight officers and
soldiers are facing courts martial, possibly at the end of the
month, for their part in the failed plot.
Lost spirit
For former President Fidel Ramos,
who broke ranks with the Marcos regime and joined the Church-led
mass movement that filled Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the
anniversary appears to have lost much of its meaning to many
Filipinos.
“Many of our young people and
even elected leaders today seem indifferent to the spirit of what
has become known as the EDSA Revolution,” he said Thursday.
“Regretfully, the prevailing
view is that EDSA was no big deal ... that EDSA is no longer that
important seems more and more the conventional wisdom ... as the
event recedes into the fog of history.”
Ramos, who was commander of the
former Philippine Constabulary, and Marcos’ then defense minister
Juan Ponce Enrile broke away from the dictator on the night of the
22nd, along with a loyal band of officers and soldiers.
In 21 years, little has changed
in the Philippines, said University of the Philippines political
scientist Clarita Carlos.
“The key players just get
older,” she added.
“EDSA was irrefutably a shining
moment in Philippine history,” Ramos said. “A people’s
collective act of quiet courage, yet powerful resolve.”
--AFP
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