PHILIPPINES: PRESIDENT MARCOS WARNS CORAZON AQUINO VICTORY WILL LEAD TO COMMUNIST TAKEOVER AND CIVIL WAR.

Record ID: 862496

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: PRESIDENT MARCOS WARNS CORAZON AQUINO VICTORY WILL LEAD TO COMMUNIST TAKEOVER AND CIVIL WAR.
  • Date: 6th January 1986
  • Summary: SVs & GV Marcos addressing crowd with wife looking on and crowd cheering (4 shots)
  • Embargoed: 21st January 1986 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SAN PABLO CITY, PHILIPPINES
  • City:
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAA5KANQBTTXPO2OFE7SK2FZXXG
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos warned on January 5 that communists would seize power and plunge the country into civil war if opposition candidate Corazon Aquino is elected president on February 7. Marcos told more than 6,000 cheering supporters gathered in San Pablo City, Rizal Province near Manila, that he, and only he, has the strength and the support to counter the communist threat. Despite being "tired and fed up" after 20 years of being in power, Marcos said he was forced to run to preserve democracy in the Philippines. He declared that the slain opposition politician Benigno Aquino, Corazon's late Husband, was in fact linked to, and provided support for, the communists. The election of his widow, Marcos said, would satisfy one woman's fight for vindictiveness and hatred, rather than a fight to save the nation. Marcos was carried to have platform on the shoulders of his supporters, and the 68-year-old leader addressed the crowd, surrounded by prominent supporters, including his wife Imelda as well as popular singers, entertainers and politicians. Aquino and running-mate Salvadore Laurel reacted to Marcos' warnings of a communist take-over by accusing the president of using "scare tactics" to mislead the public. They said he was using the spectre of communism to divert attention away from the complaints about his leadership. Aquino has said that if elected she will welcome communists into her government provided they renounced violence.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register