Word: martialled
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...soul of the bloodied corpse before him: the earthly remains of the country's most famous and charismatic opponent-in-exile of the authoritarian rule of visibly ailing President Ferdinand Marcos, 65. Long regarded as Marcos' presidential successor before the country's strongman declared martial law in 1972, Aquino spent 7½A years in Philippine jails on charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms and subversion, and three more years of exile in the U.S. Ignoring innumerable threats and an official death sentence against him, Aquino returned home on Aug. 21. Within 30 seconds...
...that process has been derailed, Marcos faces the prospect of spending his final years in power without any clear direction. Under martial law, the Philippine military has been transformed from a small, apolitical force into a bloated guarantor of Marcos' power. The country's institutions, from city halls to the courts to the press, have been emasculated. The economy has been crippled by "crony capitalism," a system that saw the government pour hundreds of millions of dollars into a handful of companies controlled by the President's friends...
When times were relatively prosperous, most of the 50 million Filipinos tolerated martial law. But like many developing countries, the Philippines was hit hard by the worldwide economic slowdown and the prolonged slump in commodity prices. As the pie shrank, so did public tolerance for repression. Inexorably, the radical left, a negligible force when Marcos took power, gained strength...
...happen to believe that Marcos is the only man who can return democracy peacefully. Before martial law the army did not participate in government, but they have tasted blood and power. Marcos made them partners. As long as he is alive, it's O.K., the army is loyal to him. But when he dies, they will take over. If that should happen, there would be polarization, and the left could come to power...
Then, about the time he is convinced that meditation in hushed sanctuaries can solve the world's problems, as Jimmy Carter once believed, the President had better get back to the parade ground and relish the martial strains of The Stars and Stripes Forever...