Conflicting Narratives of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution
In 1986, as the euphoria of the People Power Revolution had barely subsided, at least two conflicting narratives emerged. The military version asserted that Ferdinand Marcos Sr. would have remained in power indefinitely if not for the Armed Forces' withdrawal of support, regardless of the millions gathered at EDSA. Conversely, the civilian version emphasized the people's pivotal role, intentionally or unintentionally diminishing the military's importance.
The Civilian Perspective: A Story of Salvation and Power
For civilians, they saved soldiers from the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) from near-certain annihilation by Marcos loyalists. They believed they could have wrested power independently, viewing the military's involvement merely as hastening an inevitable outcome. While grateful, they saw their own actions as the true catalyst for change.
The Military Account: A Handover of Authority
From the military standpoint, they handed power to Cory Aquino, framing their actions as decisive. However, historian Alfred McCoy's research, detailed in his book Closer than Brothers, reveals a more complex truth. Gregorio Honasan and his men, under Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, were plotting a coup against Marcos—a plan McCoy describes as incompetently conceived and discovered prematurely.
With surprise lost, Enrile opted for an open revolt. On the first night, the plotters were vulnerable, relying on a "gentleman's agreement" to avoid gunfire. As telephone brigades mobilized fellow officers, hundreds of thousands heeded Cardinal Jaime Sin's call to gather at Camp Crame by morning. McCoy concludes this was an aborted coup masquerading as a principled mutiny.
Speculating on Alternative Outcomes
What if the massive civilian gathering hadn't occurred? The RAM soldiers, lacking surprise, weapons, and numbers, faced potential annihilation in a bloody confrontation. While this outcome remains speculative, empirical data underscores the revolution's necessity amid economic collapse.
The Economic Context: A Nation on the Brink
From 1984 to 1985, the Philippine economy plummeted to record lows. As economics professor JC Punongbayan notes in his book False Nostalgia, the Marcos-era crisis was the worst since World War II, with nine consecutive quarters of decline. In contrast, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused a nearly 10% GDP drop over five quarters. The revolution arguably rescued the nation from a bottomless economic pit.
Celebrating EDSA: Beyond Unfulfilled Ideals
Some argue that EDSA's ideals remain unfulfilled, but revolutions rarely achieve lofty goals overnight—or ever, in an imperfect world. The French still celebrate Bastille Day centuries later, and Jews commemorate Passover despite post-exodus inconsistencies. Celebrating history isn't just nostalgia; it allows history to judge our fidelity to EDSA's ideals, a topic worthy of future reflection.
