Word: aquinos
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...until three hours after the fall of Villamor did Aquino go on the air to address her people. Speaking on Channel 9, a privately owned network, the President said, "We shall smash this shameless and naked attempt once more. This nation must never again be allowed to fall into the hands of tyrants." At that point, the government counterattack began. Seven army trucks headed for Channel 4 and a fire fight with rebel forces there. Ramos and De Villa monitored the crisis from Camp Crame, the constabulary headquarters...
...rebels kept up the pressure. With vintage T-28 aircraft they knocked the government off the air by bombing Channel 9 just as Aquino was announcing that the situation had been "contained." They pinned down loyalist forces by hitting Crame and the presidential palace. One palace staff member was hurt, but Aquino was unscathed. On a recommendation by Ramos, she relayed a request for U.S. air support to Washington and to U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Platt...
...American help was crucial to the Aquino cause, clearing the skies of rebel craft and allowing loyalists to consolidate their forces. In an interview late in the week, Aquino admitted that Philippine military planes had hesitated to strafe and bomb the rebel soldiers. When American might was clearly on Aquino's side, however, Philippine jets attacked rebel-controlled Sangley Point naval station, destroying eight planes on the ground. Their timing thrown off by the intervening U.S. forces, the rebels abandoned Villamor, Fort Bonifacio and the TV stations...
While many mutineers surrendered, others scattered throughout the metropolis, taking over three luxury hotels and holding positions against air and ground attacks near the Defense Department headquarters of Camp Aguinaldo. Declared Aquino: "We leave them two choices -- surrender or die." The rebels' reply: "We will fight to the end. Resign." Though the government insisted that the back of the mutiny had been broken, fierce and protracted fighting continued through the weekend. Camp Aguinaldo was set ablaze by rebel howitzers. The week's toll: at least 46 dead and 200 hurt...
What brought on the rebellion? Aquino may have restored the country's democratic institutions, but she has allowed the 147,500-man-strong military to continue along the dangerous course it took during the latter years of the Marcos regime. As young colonels, radical rightists and Marcos loyalists intermittently mounted coups against her, Aquino was forced to depend on military men like Ramos and De Villa to make sure that the armed forces did not entirely turn on her. Unfortunately, the management policies of these top officers were forged during the dictatorship, when promotions were decided almost wholly...