Kristylle Renz C.

Dela Cruz G11- HUMSS(MM)

EDSA: People Power II

MANILA, Philippines – Sixteen years ago, Filipinos gathered at the historic thoroughfare EDSA,
where freedom was once won against a dictator in 1986.

EDSA People Power II, as it came to be known, was a series of protests held from January 16 to
20, 2001, against former president Joseph Estrada who was then facing plunder charges. The
protests eventually triggered Estrada’s downfall – and paved the way for Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo, his vice president, to enter the spotlight in the political scene.

But Arroyo would later face her own share of troubles during her administration. Both former
presidents seemed to follow the same track in politics: they were both vice presidents before
assuming the highest seat of the land, and both have been accused of criminal offenses.
Despite these, Estrada and Arroyo have managed to retain positions in government today.

EDSA II: Estrada’s downfall, Arroyo’s rise

In 1998, Estrada – a popular actor-turned-politician – won the presidential race with his slogan,
“Erap para samahirap” (Erap for the poor). His political troubles started shortly two years later,
when then Ilocos Sur governor ChavitSingson, his longtime friend, went public with accusations
that Estrada and his cronies received millions of pesos from illegal operations of jueteng.

During Estrada’s impeachment trial, senator-judges had to decide on whether or not to open an
envelope supposed to contain strong evidence linking Estrada to over a billion pesos in deposits
under the name “Jose Velarde”.

Ten voted “yes” while 11 said “no” – a decision that prompted Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr to
resign as Senate President and walk out of the hall, joined by 9 other senators.

This dramatic scene was the final trigger that sent Filipinos to EDSA on January 16, 2001.
Throughout the first night of the rally, people began to swarm around the historical EDSA
Shrine to express their sentiments. More Filipinos, including students, activists and
personalities in the music industry, joined in the next days, while the Philippine National Police
and Armed Forces of the Philippines withdrew their support from the president.

On the last day of the protest, January 20, Arroyo took her oath in the presence of clamoring
crowds on EDSA as the 14th president of the Republic of the Philippines. Estrada released a
letter about Arroyo’s proclamation, saying he had strong doubts about the legality and
constitutionality of her proclamation as president. However, he said he would step down to
allow national reconciliation.

Estrada left Malacañang Palace together with his family in the same year. He was convicted of
plunder in September 2007.