After her husband’s assassination, Cory took his place as the leader of the opposition.

In 1985, Ferdinand suddenly announced an election to legitimize his hold on the

country. Cory was reluctant to run at first, but changed her mind after being presented
with one million signatures urging her to run for president.

During Cory’s run for president, Ferdinand Marcos derided her with sexist statements,
saying she was “just a woman” whose place was in the bedroom.

Cory just answered: “May the better woman win in this election.”

He also attacked her inexperience in politics. Cory responded by admitting she had “no
experience in cheating, lying to the public, stealing government money, and killing
political opponents.”

After the elections were held in February 1986, Marcos was declared the winner. There
were numerous reports of election fraud, and the outcome was condemned by Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and the United States Senate. Ronald Reagan
called the the fraud reports “disturbing” in an official statement.

Cory immediately called for peaceful civil disobedience protests, and for organized
strikes and mass boycotts of the media and businesses owned by Marcos. Filipinos
were enthusiastic in their support. These popular, peaceful demonstrations came to be
known as the People Power Revolution. Though Marcos ordered troops against the
thousands of protesters (including whole families and nuns and priests), not a shot was
fired and the troops withdrew and many defected.

By the end of February, Ferdinand Marcos withdrew from power, fleeing to Hawaii, and
Cory Aquino became the President of the Philippines.