Coup attempts on Aquino government

Main article: 1986–1990 Philippine coup attempts

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From 1986 to 1990 numerous coup attempts were enacted on the Aquino administration and the new
Philippine government. Many of these attempts were conducted by the Reform the Armed Forces
Movement, who attempted to establish a military government, while other attempts were conducted by
loyalists to former President Marcos.

Mendiola massacre and cabinet infighting

Main article: Mendiola Massacre

On 22 January 1987, during the era of transition government and shortly before the nationwide
plebiscite to ratify the Constitution, 12 citizens were killed and 51 were injured in the Mendiola
Massacre. The incident was initially a peaceful protest by agrarian workers and farmers who had
marched to the historic Mendiola Street near the Malacañan Palace to demand genuine land reform.
The massacre occurred when Marines fired at farmers who tried to go beyond the designated
demarcation line set by the police.[50] The massacre resulted in several resignations from Aquino's
cabinet, including Jose Diokno, head of the Presidential Committee on Human Rights, chairman of the
Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and chairman of the government panel in charge of negotiations
with rebel forces resigned from his government posts. His daughter Maris said, "It was the only time we
saw him near tears."[51]

In September 1987, Vice President Doy Laurel resigned as Secretary of Foreign Affairs. In his resignation
letter to Aquino, Laurel stated, "...the past years of Marcos are now beginning to look no worse than
your first two years in office. And the reported controversies and scandals involving your closest
relatives have become the object of our people's outrage. From 16,500 NPA regular when Marcos fell,
the communists now claim an armed strength of 25,200. From city to countryside, anarchy has spread.
There is anarchy within the government, anarchy within the ruling coalesced parties and anarchy in the
streets."[52]

Finance Minister Jaime Ongpin, who had successfully advocated for paying external debt incurred during
Marcos' administration, was dismissed by Aquino in September 1987 and later died in an apparent
suicide in December 1987.[53] His widow stated that he had been depressed due to infighting in
Aquino's cabinet and lack of significant change since the People Power Revolution.[54]

Soon after the Mendiola Massacre, the Aquino administration and Congress worked to pass significant
agrarian reform, which culminated in the passage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARP).
Peace talks with Moro and communist insurgencies

See also: Moro conflict and Communist rebellion in the Philippines

President Aquino conducted peace talks with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), an armed
Moro Muslim insurgency group that sought to establish an independent Moro state within Mindanao.
Aquino met with MNLF leader Nur Misuari and various MNLF groups in Sulu. In 1989, the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was created under Republic Act No. 6734 or the ARMM Organic
Act, which established the Moro majority areas in the Mindanao island group as an autonomous region
with its own government.[55] The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao lasted from 1989 to 2019,
after which it was succeeded by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was opposed by the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF), a militant splinter group from the MNLF that sought to secede from the
Philippines to establish an Islamic state in Mindanao.[56] Peace talks with MILF began in 1997 under
President Fidel Ramos and violent insurgency officially continued until 2014, when peace accords were
formally signed between MILF and the administration of President Benigno Aquino III that would lead to
the creation of the BARMM.[57]

The establishment of the ARMM also led to the establishment of Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group founded
in 1989 by Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani and composed of radical former members of the MNLF.
Terrorist attacks by Abu Sayyaf would start in 1995 and continue to the present day, including the 2004
bombing of the MV Superferry 14 that resulted in the deaths of 116 people.[58]

Shortly after becoming president, Aquino ordered the release of hundreds of political prisoners
imprisoned during the Marcos era, including communist insurgents belonging to the Communist Party of
the Philippines. These releases included leaders such as Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose
Maria Sison and New People's Army founder Bernabe Buscayno.[59] Preliminary peace talks with the
CPP ended after the Mendiola Massacre on 22 January 1987, during which at least 12 farmers were
killed at a protest rally.[60][61]