Good Leaders in the Philippines

Andres Bonifacio

Ninoy Aquino

Ferdinand Marcos

Andres Bonifacio simmered with rage and humiliation. The movement that he had created to oppose Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines had just voted (likely in a rigged election) to make his rival Emilio Aguinaldo president in his stead. Bonifacio was given the lowly consolation prize of an appointment as Secretary of the Interior in the revolutionary government. When this appointment was announced, however, delegate Daniel Tirona objected on the grounds that Bonifacio did not have a law degree (or any university diploma, for that matter). Incensed, the fiery rebel leader demanded an apology from Tirona. Instead, Daniel Tirona turned to leave the hall; Bonifacio pulled out a gun and tried to shoot him down, but General Artemio Ricarte y Garcia tackled the former president and saved Tirona's life.

A disturbing video shot in 1983 shows Filipino army personnel boarding a plane and ordering opposition leader Benigno Aquino, Jr., more commonly called Ninoy Aquino, to disembark. He smiles, but his eyes look wary. Aquino walks out onto the tarmac of the Manila International Airport, while uniformed men prevent his companions from following. Suddenly the sound of a shot rings through the plane. Aquino's traveling companions begin to wail; three more shots sound. The western cameraman filming the event captures the image of two bodies lying on the ground, shot to the head. Soldiers hustle one of the bodies onto a luggage cart. Then, the soldiers come at the cameraman. Ninoy Aquino was dead at the age of 50. Beside him, Rolando Galman also lay dead. Ferdinand Marcos'sregime would

http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/fmarcosbio.htm http://asianhistory.about.com/od/philippines/p/Biography-of-Andres-Bonifacio-Filipino-Anti-ColonialLeader.htm http://asianhistory.about.com/od/philippines/p/Biography-of-Ninoy-Aquino.htm

blame Galman for killing Aquino - but few historians or citizens of the Philippines give any credence to that claim. Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines with an iron fist from 1966 to 1986. Critics charged Marcos and his regime with crimes like corruption and nepotism. Marcos himself is said to have exaggerated his role in World War II. He also murdered a family political rival. So, how did this man stay in power? Marcos created an elaborate cult of personality. When that state-mandated adulation proved insufficient for him to maintain control, President Marcos declared martial law. Aside from his cruelty, Philippines is known to other countries by him. For me, he is a very brilliant and intelligent leader. He did his government responsibilities and duties according what the law says. The problem lied on his corruptible deeds than not along by himself but by his relatives and cronies.

http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/fmarcosbio.htm http://asianhistory.about.com/od/philippines/p/Biography-of-Andres-Bonifacio-Filipino-Anti-ColonialLeader.htm http://asianhistory.about.com/od/philippines/p/Biography-of-Ninoy-Aquino.htm