FVR was the military pillar of martial law

WHILE the late President Fidel V. Ramos wasn't the highest ranking officer in the military establish-ment that supported Ferdinand E. Marcos' martial law when it was imposed — Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Espino who served until 1981 was — he was widely viewed as its strongest pillar.

This was not only because he was Marcos' second cousin, who under Filipino culture would profess undying loyalty to the strongman. Ramos was head for 14 years until 1985 (when he was appointed acting AFP chief of staff), of the powerful and centralized Philippine Constabulary (PC).