Rogue Generals: A Different Post-EDSA Uno Philippines TL

[TheRomanSlayer]

Chapter Eighteen: The Greatest Trial Never Told



Excerpts from the TV Live Broadcast “The Trial of Ferdinand Marcos” on Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation, April 24, 1988

(scene moves to the Supreme Court in Manila, where Oliver Kidlat is live, with several cameramen are filming the beginning of the trial)

KIDLAT: This trial that we are broadcasting will be for the history books, as it is the first in Philippine history that a former President is being charged of corruption and abuse of power while he was President. Standing here beside me is former Regional Trial Court judge Miriam Defensor Santiago, who will be taking over as the judge for Marcos’s trial, upon her own recommendation, as Brigadier General Gregorio Honasan is not qualified to act as a judge. What brought this sudden change of judges, Madam Santiago?

MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO: Brigadier General Honasan will most likely turn the trial into a show trial, and we do not want to risk turning the former President into a martyr. His supporters are armed and dangerous, as evident by a few soldiers who did not surrender to President Aquino.

KIDLAT: But would it not be more practical for this trial to go through? I mean, if this court can expose the former President for his abuse of power, then it would be a legitimate trial in the eyes of the public.

MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO: The main important thing for us is to establish the basis of Marcos’s guilt. If we can do that, then we can debunk the myths that surround the former dictator, and right now it is not only the former President who will be placed on trial. In a week, we will also place former First Lady Imelda Marcos on trial as well, for racketeering, abuse of power and other possible charges, depending on what the international community has revealed to us. We are also cooperating with all foreign governments on what crimes did the former First Lady committed while overseas too.

KIDLAT: Will there be any charges for the children as well?

MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO: So far, none of the children have been charged with anything. However, the current administration will not tolerate any political presence of the former dictator’s children. Therefore, there will be a future election that will certainly be won by a new candidate who is not connected to any Marcos family member.

KIDLAT: So, will the government be pushing for a stronger legislation against family dynasties in politics?

MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO: That, I am not at liberty to say. However, I would not be surprised if the Deputy Defense Minister is pushing for such a motion.

KIDLAT: Why is that?

MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO: Because the military by this point, had been fed up with what they called ‘spoiled children of politicians’ and their clear disregard for law. Though if the provisions of the anti-family dynasty bill are pushed through, then the President’s own children will be barred from running for political office on every level, be they municipal, provincial, and federal.

KIDLAT: While I am sure that many of the children from political parents will be disappointed with such provision, would it also allow other potential candidates for political office from a humbler background to arise as well?

MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO: Like I said, I do not know. However, I give my full support behind any reforms that President Aquino will implement. The trial is starting in a few minutes, sir.

KIDLAT: (nods) All right, it is nice to meet you once again, Madam Santiago.

MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO: (nods) We will keep you updated on the process of the trial.

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ADDITIONAL CHARGES OF GRAFT, ECONOMIC PLUNDER AND MURDER LEVIED AGAINST MARCOS, FORMER FIRST LADY ON TRIAL ON CHARGES OF GRAFT AND ABUSE OF POWER
Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 13, 1988

Manila, NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION – For the sixth straight week, the trial of former President Ferdinand Marcos is ongoing, with several testimonies being given by former Martial Law victims in front of a shocked audience inside the Supreme Court. At the same time, diehard Marcos regime supporters held protests outside the Supreme Court while issuing death threats against volunteers willing to testify against the former president. In addition, there was less commotion from the trial of former First Lady Imelda Marcos since her crimes of a political nature was not as serious as the crimes of her husband.

“There are no such words to describe the horrors that I heard from witnesses who described such abuse,” said Miriam Defensor Santiago, who replaced Brigadier General Gregorio Honasan as the presiding judge. “Still, we have to go through more testimonies before we can give the verdict, but I am not surprised if the audience has an emotional breakdown.”

Multiple lawyers representing both the victims and former President Marcos have been entering and exiting from the Supreme Court have been asked for interviews, but due to their agreement to not talk about the trial while it is ongoing, they were unable to give their comments. Still, the trial has captured the headlines of various international medial channels, with even Chinese media constantly talking about the trial. In addition, after the negotiations for a ceasefire was finished between the Aquino administration and Deputy Defense Minister Tadiar during the civil war, Ye Fei visited his hometown and had a reunion with his siblings before shortly returning to China and was debriefed by his superior, Wang Dongxing, on the state of the civil war.

At the same time, the trial of former President Marcos is carefully studied by Indonesian legal experts, whose role in the trial of former President Suharto will be expected to start within a month. President Subianto of Indonesia had urged caution and impartiality in the trial against Ferdinand Marcos, lest Suharto get the same idea from him. The revelation of former First Lady Imelda Marcos’s economic crimes, and that of her husband’s has resulted in outrage from the Indonesian public, since their actions reminded them too well of the Pertamina scandal that Suharto’s sons were involved in. Even so, the United States also kept a watchful eye on the trial as well, to see for themselves if the former regime’s other associates would be placed on trial as well.

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“Upon assessing the testimonies of the witnesses who testified against the former President, as well as physical evidence of the crimes that led to the charges levying against him being presented for the world to see, there is little doubt of the verdict that we will deliver against former President Marcos, and the former First Lady, Imelda Marcos. On charges of graft, economic plunder, torture, murder, and bribery, we hereby pronounce the former President, guilty, of all charges. In addition, Lady Imelda Marcos’s own charges of graft, economic plunder and abuse of authority are also present, beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, we also pronounce the former First Lady, guilty, of those charges. In conclusion, Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, and Imelda Romualdez Marcos, will be sentenced to house arrest in Dondonay Island, where several guards will be stationed there to keep you two imprisoned. As for the children of the defendants, while they are not guilty of any charges, the fact that the public cannot tolerate to see their presence in Philippine politics, I hereby impose a lifetime ban on the following individuals: Imee, Bongbong, Irene, and Aimee Marcos, from ever running for political office in the Philippines, on every level of government. Furthermore, there will be arrangements for the children to be under house arrest in four islands of our choice, one for each child. With these sentences levied on the Marcos family, I hereby declare the trial to be over.” Miriam Defensor Santiago, from the sentencing of the entire Marcos family and the end of the trial of Ferdinand Marcos, June 22, 1988.

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SOVIET GEORGIAN OFFICER ADVISES GORBACHEV AGAINST DEPLOYMENT OF SOVIET TROOPS IN GEORGIAN DEMONSTRATIONS
Sydney Herald
April 8, 1989


Tbilisi, GEORGIAN SSR – One of the Soviet Army officers who is currently serving in Afghanistan, has come out against Soviet Premier Gorbachev’s proposal to use Soviet troops to break up a nationalist demonstration. Igor Giorgadze came out in opposition to the usage of Soviet troops, predicting a violent reaction to the presence of Red Army troops on the streets of Tbilisi. In addition, Giorgadze also obtained the assistance of both Viktor Ivanenko and Dmitry Yazov in negotiating with the Georgian nationalist faction in Tbilisi, while Red Army troops that are poised to enter Georgian soil are instead redirected into the territory of the Russian SFSR, where they will be conducting military exercises on the Soviet border with communist China.

“We have managed to prevent a potential bloodshed from happening here on the streets of Tbilisi, and such level-headed decisions have also saved lives. The Soviet government should be praised for restraining themselves in dealing with protests, and with the lessons from the disgraceful event in the Philippines being learnt by our government, we will exercise more caution in dealing with future protests,” Giorgadze replied while being asked about the response to the Georgian nationalist movement.

Sources close to Giorgadze confirm that the Georgian veteran of the Afghan War had also entered a secret alliance with rising star within the Soviet Army, one Alexander Lebed, on the situation in Afghanistan and praised his unconventional method of dealing with the insurgents. Lebed’s methods of isolating resistance cells to make it easier to destroy them had been far more effective, with several hundred cells being captured by Soviet troops, leading to the capture of several weapons and ammunition from the Mujahideen. In addition, all the military districts within the Soviet Union had raised the alarm level of their forces in response to increased Chinese military activity along their shared border, and with increased American military activity along the maritime border between the USSR and the USA, with the Bering Sea being at a stand off between three Soviet submarines and four American ASW destroyers before both sides turned their fleets back to their territorial waters.

In contrast, the Georgian nationalist movement, led by the National Democratic Party, had praised Giorgadze’s intervention in preventing the bloodshed, although his role was largely reduced to the recommendation that he made to Premier Gorbachev to dismiss Jumber Patiashvili as head of the Georgian Communist Party, and his replacement with Givi Gumbaridze as his successor. Gumbaridze then ordered the public to disperse or he will call in the Soviet forces to intervene in the Georgian SSR. However, the demonstrations by the Abkhazian and South Ossetian minority in their attempt to secede from Georgia and to become separate SSRs (with South Ossetia also calling for the unification between them and the Russian controlled North Ossetian ASSR) remained a sore point between the Georgian government and its national minorities. Thus, another bizarre proposal was pushed for Georgia to become the second Soviet Federated Socialist Republic after Russia, with Abkhazia, Adjara, and South Ossetia retaining their status as ASSRs within Georgia.


Georgian nationalist protesters gathered in the heart of Tbilisi to march in favor of greater autonomy and civil rights for the population of the Georgian SSR. The timely intervention of Afghan War veteran Igor Giorgadze in the growing crisis within Georgia had averted a potential bloodshed and riot in one of the most turbulent republics within the Soviet Union.

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COUP IN GEORGIA! GIORGADZE TOPPLES PRO-SOVIET LOYALIST GOVERNMENT, INVITES GAMSAKHURDIA AND GEORGIAN NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO FORM GOVERNMENT
Edmonton Journal
April 9, 1991


Tbilisi, (Breakaway) GEORGIAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC – Military units loyal to pro-Lebed Georgian general Igor Giorgadze had launched a coup against the pro-Soviet loyalist government of Givi Gumbaridze and declared Georgia’s independence from the Soviet Union and officially declared its allegiance to the Lebedite rebel forces that have currently taken control of parts of Siberia within the Russian SFSR. At 3 AM, Georgian units of the Red Army had renounced their allegiance to the Soviet Union and entered the Georgian Parliament Building, while arresting all the Georgian Communist Party staff and interning them in the town of Gori. Raising the flag of the First Georgian Democratic Republic in defiance to Soviet authority, Giorgadze then called upon the National Democratic Party members to meet in Tbilisi to help form the government.

“The time for servitude to the Soviet Empire has come to pass! With the help of patriots of the republics that wished to destroy the Soviet Union, the Georgian nation shall overcome the tribulations imposed on it!” says Giorgadze, after being approached by the National Democratic Party members to give a speech. “As of today, all the Georgian troops in the Red Army have renounced their loyalty to the dying Union and have sworn allegiance to the newly declared Georgian Federal Republic. Although we will fight to defend the independence of Georgia, we will also side with the forces of Alexander Lebed as we will help each other defeat the Red Army, if they have not yet decided to renounce their loyalty to the USSR in favor of their respective republics.”

Pro-Soviet Georgian officers within the Red Army were taken prisoner by their junior officer subordinates three hours after the coup was completed, with half of them opting to flee from their country of birth, and the other half opting to switch sides in favor of the Georgian Federal Republic. In neighboring Armenia, Seyran Ohanyan had launched a similar coup against the pro-Soviet loyalist government in Yerevan, with similar results to the Georgian coup. However, in Azerbaijan, a major conflict broke out over there between pro-Soviet loyalists and pro-independence forces led by Dadash Rzayev and Heydar Aliyev. The Georgian military is currently keeping an eye on their border between Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, with additional Georgian military units stationed in Adjara watching for any movement from Turkish military units at their border. In addition, fighting also broke out in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region between the Armenian minority there and the Azeri government, which had sought to rein in the rebellious minority.


Zviad Gamsakhurdia leads a procession throughout the streets of Tbilisi after pro-independence forces within the Georgian military led by Igor Giorgadze, launched a coup against the Soviet loyalist-aligned government of Jumber Patiashvili. The Georgian coup led to Georgia's unilateral declaration of independence from the Soviet Union, and the new government under Gamsakhurdia has also announced on the same day as Georgia's declaration of independence that it will side with Alexander Lebed's National Redemption Army in their fight against the Soviet government.

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EURO 1988 Tournament

Qualification Round


Group 1 Winner – Netherlands
Group 2 Winner – France
Group 3 Winner – Romania
Group 4 Winner – Spain
Group 5 Winner – Italy
Group 6 Winner – Soviet Union
Group 7 Winner – England
Host – West Germany



Group A: England, France, Soviet Union, Italy

Group B: Netherlands, West Germany, Spain, Romania


EURO 1988 Tournament 

Group A:


England 1-1 France
Italy 1-1 Soviet Union
England 1-3 Soviet Union
France 2-1 Italy
England 3-2 Italy
France 2-2 Soviet Union

France, Soviet Union, advance into Knockout Round

Group B:


Netherlands 2-1 West Germany
Spain 3-0 Romania
West Germany 4-1 Romania
Netherlands 2-2 Spain
West Germany 3-2 Spain
Netherlands 2-0 Romania

Netherlands, West Germany, advance into Knockout Round

Knockout Round

Netherlands 1-1 (5-3 penalty kicks) France
Soviet Union 0-0 (4-5 penalty kicks) West Germany

Final Round

Netherlands 0-0 (1-0 a.e.t.) West Germany

[gillan1220]

The Marcoses under house arrest reminds me of the alternate take of the Philippines in 1983: Doomsday.

Downfall of Marcos: "The Bloodless Coup of '87"
On 14 December 1986, classified documents were leaked into anti-Marcos channels, primarily military and activist elements; by former members of Marcos' inner circle. The papers and photos confirmed not only the "secret debriefing" of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino's assassination - about a month before Doomsday - but also confirmation of the mass killings ordered by Marcos himself. Public reaction quickly exploded across much of the country, prompting the government to renew crackdowns on dissidents. A major incident was the Veritas Standoff in February 1987: several activists and Catholic clergymen held themselves inside the old Radio Veritas Building (Manila), broadcasting religious and pro-democracy messages, until soldiers opened fire on the building; 14 casualties was the official tally. Amidst the renewed upheaval, Marcos' grip on the nation grew increasingly weaker, as various elements of society went in unison against him, including the Communist NPA (New People's Army) and Islamic MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front).

All this culminated in the "Bloodless Coup of '87." On 21 June 1987, a near simultaneous uprising, led by former inner circle member Juan Ponce Enrile, took place nationwide as protesters overwhelmed government installations in peaceful marches of solidarity and faith. At 3:47 PM local time, rebellious soldiers under Enrile's direct command seized control of New Baguio, arresting Marcos and his remaining staff in a "Mandate of the people;" Marcos' "Bagong Lipunan" (New Society; Second Republic) came to an end with barely a shot fired. The (former) Presidential Family was placed under house arrest 22 kms. east of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. Marcos would die of heart failure in 1990.

[TheRomanSlayer]

Let me put it this way: if the Marcos family was executed, that would give their diehard supporters enough propaganda ammo to use against the Aquino presidency. However, if they were exiled to Hawaii, like IOTL, their children could mount a political come back. Therefore, sending them under house arrest actually worked in the end, but unlike the example from Doomsday 1983, the Marcoses were incarcerated in several minor outlying islands that are isolated. As we will soon see, these places where the Marcos family were incarcerated eventually grew to become the infamous concentration camps that were mentioned in an earlier update.

[TheRomanSlayer]

OMAKE TWO: The EURO 1988 Final

A/N: This omake was supposed to be included in the last update, but had to split it.

ORANGE CRUSH! NETHERLANDS DEFEAT WEST GERMANY IN UGLY EURO FINALS, WINS FIRST EURO CUP
The Sun
June 26, 1988


Munich, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY – As if the West Germans could not take a break from the near-disasters they have encountered in the Euro 1988 tournament, the Dutch have delivered the ultimate humiliation upon them, with a 1-0 win in added extra time. The Dutch victory over the West Germans in Munich resulted in the Netherlands winning their first ever Euro Cup tournament, albeit it was an ugly game that highlighted the intense rivalry between the two teams. While West German fans commiserate their team’s ugly loss, Dutch fans erupted in celebration throughout the Netherlands. Moreover, the French and English fans had also celebrated the Dutch victory, as they were cheering against the West Germans.


“It is a bit of a shocker, really. To think that we would have to settle this game in penalty kicks, which we do not have a chance of beating the West Germans, but the national hero of the Netherlands tonight is none other than Aron Winter, who scored the unlikely goal in added extra time!” says head coach Rinus Michels, who also celebrated the historic win over the West Germans. “This is also payback for the 1974 World Cup finals that we lost to the same team we defeated today!”


With the Netherlands securing 1st place in the tournament, the West Germans take 2nd place in the tournament. Meanwhile, the French, having scored one goal in the knockout round, take 3rd place, and the Soviet Union take 4th place. West German fans would be eager to wait until the 1990 FIFA World Cup to have a rematch with the Dutch team, although anything can happen between today and 1990.


Two Dutch players double teamed on a German player during the 1988 EURO Cup finals. The Netherlands won the final match 1-0 in added extra time.
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SOVIET UNION FOOTBALL TEAM TO FIELD PLAYERS FROM LOYALIST-ALIGNED REPUBLICS WITHIN UNION DUE TO CIVIL WAR
June 4, 1990
The Sun


Rome, ITALY – FIFA authorities received a notice from the Soviet Union’s national football association that they have modified their final squad due to the political turmoil that has gripped the country. The modified roster will only include players hailing from Soviet loyalist-aligned countries, such as the Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, Turkmen, Azeri and Belarusian SSRs, with the Russian SFSR, Ukrainian SSR, Georgian SSR, Moldovan SSR and Armenian SSR declaring themselves in opposition to the Soviet government. Of the original squad, only MF Andrei Zygmantovich and MF Sergei Aleinikov would remain. The modified Soviet squad that will take part in the 1990 FIFA World Cup are as follows:

DF Asgar Abdullayev (from Azeri SSR)

DF Ruslan Idiqov (from Azeri SSR)

DF Rustam Khaidaraliyev (from Tajik SSR)

DF Genadz Lesun (from Belarusian SSR)

DF Farkhad Magametov (from Uzbek SSR)

DF Henadz Mardas (from Belarusian SSR)

MF Sergei Aleinikov (from Belarusian SSR, original squad member)

MF Andrei Zygmantovich (from Belarusian SSR, original squad member)

MF Agil Mammadov (from Azeri SSR)

MF Marat Kabayev (from Uzbek SSR)

MF Rustam Abdullayev (from Uzbek SSR)

MF Tokhirjon Muminov (from Tajik SSR)

MF Sultan Abildaev (from Kazakh SSR)

FW Nematullo Quttiboev (from Uzbek SSR)

FW/MF Bakhodur Rakhmanov (from Uzbek SSR)

FW Cariyar Muhadow (from Turkmen SSR)

PL Mirjalol Qosimov (from Uzbek SSR)

ST Mukhsin Mukhamadiev (from Tajik SSR)

ST Isgandar Javadov (from Azeri SSR)

GK Alyaksandr Martsashkin (from Belarusian SSR)

GK Ihar Patapaw (from Belarusian SSR)

GK Uladzimir Malyshaw (from Belarusian SSR)

Although the Soviet team would still retain the services of Valeri Lobanovskyi as their head coach, the talents of the players that were picked are questionable, and it is hard to predict whether they will be able to even make it into the knockout rounds, as some of the USSR’s best players would not participate in the 1990 World Cup.

[TheRomanSlayer]

Chapter Nineteen: Another Turmoil



Excerpts from the Declassified Document “On the Conditions of House Arrest for Marcos Family Members”
National Intelligence Coordinating Agency


“The importance of the nature of the house arrest for former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos is critical in preventing another Fabian Ver-like situation, leading to the civil war that took place because of a few sloppy soldiers who had gone soft. Moreover, because of his prominence, it is essential that guards would be changed at random, to prevent the suborning from taking place. In addition, because of his health condition, medical doctors must be present to ensure that he remains healthy. However, he cannot be in contact with other incarcerated persons. Therefore, the former President should be held in a newly built camp inside Cagayan Island. Labourers from the Philippine Army’s 51st Engineering Brigade will be deployed to build the camp, while the 52nd Engineering Brigade will build another camp in Dondonay Island. The 53rd Engineering Brigade will build the camp in Tanusa Island, and the 55th Engineering Brigade will build the camp in Calusa Island. Naval engineers will also be deployed to build the necessary harbor to accommodate supply boats needed to deliver supplies into the camps. As for the other detainees:


Imelda Romualdez Marcos will serve her sentence in Dondonay Island, while Aimee Marcos will serve her sentence in Tanusa Island. Imee Marcos will be sent to Calusa Island to serve her sentence, while Bongbong Marcos will serve his sentence in Matarawis Island, where in addition to his sentence, he will perform hard labor, building another camp there. Irene Marcos on the other hand, will serve her sentence in Oco Island, performing the same hard labor as Bongbong. Finally, the Romualdez family will also perform hard labor, building another new camp in Siqijor Island as well. Once again, I would stress the importance of making the Marcos and Romualdez families pay for their crimes through hard labor as a way of making them suffer for their collective crimes against the nation and its people.


Signed,



Brigadier General Artemo A. Tadiar

Deputy Defense Minister”


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FORMER DICTATOR OF PHILIPPINES DIES OF THREE HEALTH AILMENTS, WHILE FORMER FIRST LADY DIES OF STARVATION AND DEHYDRATION
Philippine Daily Inquirer
September 21, 1988


Kabankalan, NEGROS – Former President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos died today from heart, lung, and kidney failures. He was 71 years old. Another tragedy befalling the Marcos family also occurred when former First Lady Imelda Marcos had also died, though it was from starvation and dehydration. She was 59 years old. News of their deaths did not reach the official government news, although President Corazon Aquino has been notified of their deaths. However, even before official reports of their deaths were confirmed, there has already been a spike of conspiracy theories about the nature of their deaths, especially that of Imelda Marcos.


“In the end, the former dictator died alone and friendless. Even his supporters must realize the errors of their ways and renounce their allegiance to the tyrant,” Aquino commented, but to her frustration, some of the former dictator’s diehard supporters came out to bring flowers to the makeshift memorial that was erected in his honor. “While I cannot say the same thing about former First Lady Marcos, she was an epitome of an arrogant and greedy individual.”


Pro-Marcos conspiracy theorists had wildly claimed that in her last months of her life, the former First Lady was intentionally deprived of food and water, although in slow portions before cutting her off from food and water completely. Official military and intelligence reports had debunked the claims, stating that there was also a food shortage in Western Visayas. However, one conspiracy theorist had a valid claim that even Brigadier General Honasan would be hard-pressed to listen.


“Mrs. Marcos was intentionally starved and dehydrated to death on the secret orders made by Artemio Tadiar. This is his revenge on the Marcos family for the civil war that had erupted because of them. However, let us not forget that it was his failure to take care of Fabian Ver back in 1986 that was the cause of the civil war in the first place,” says BGen. Honasan, after being asked whether Imelda Marcos was starved to death. “Even if Tadiar himself did not issue the order, it could have been either Majors Aromin or Doromal. They have more to gain from the deaths of the former President that Tadiar, as they were the first coup leaders to have been arrested during the EDSA Revolution.”


Honasan’s claims that it was Doromal or Aromin who gave the order was ridiculed by Juan Ponce Enrile, but acknowledges their motivation to do so, if it was proven true. In fact, during the early stages of the EDSA Revolution, the very first attempted coup was mounted against former President Marcos by Majors Doromal and Aromin but failed and led to their arrest. It was only thanks to the intervention of Brigadier General (formerly Colonel) Tadiar that secured their release, leading to Doromal and Aromin pledging their allegiance to Tadiar. Unfortunately, neither Doromal or Aromin were the commandants of the camps where the Marcos and Romualdez families were incarcerated, but one thing that the pro-Marcos conspiracy theorists and BGen. Honasan can agree on, is that the camp guards placed in charge of the camps guarding the former dictator and his family have been personally selected by Deputy Defense Minister Tadiar, with the approval of Defense Minister Enrile.


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TRIGGER WARNING: The passage below is a fiction pro-Marcos diatribe. It is not the author’s opinion at all, but rather, the viewpoint of a pro-Marcos supporter from TTL.


“If General Ver had won the civil war, at least we would still have the President ruling over us. Yes, he died back in 1988, but a Ver victory would have at least allowed him to become President since he was Acting Vice President. We would have our own Pinochet or Park as leader of the Philippines. Instead, what we ended up with, is basically a tyrant in the same mold as Hideki Tojo, Benito Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler. Do you think Ver would build those death camps that are used to lock his political enemies? He would simply imprison them. Tadiar would kill his political enemies in such an agonizing fashion that not even Marcos himself would approve. Artemio Tadiar had dishonored the Filipino nation for the entire world to see, and he singlehandedly destroyed the ancient blood bonds between Filipinos and Chinese with the confiscation of their properties and the mass expulsion of millions of Tsinoys from the country. He flooded the country with Japanese mobsters, Japanese language teachers and probably Japanese military officers posing as attaches. He even hired Japanese nurses to staff hospitals in the country while many of our own nurses must file for political asylum in either the Japanese or Australian Embassies, just to get out of the country! Moreover, he also gave refuge to Latin American fascists and former leaders of right-wing death squads who taught our soldiers how to torture and kill other human beings as if they (the victims) were subhuman. The Yellows always complain about the Marcos era, but did they cry about the Tadiar dictatorship? No! In fact, Corazon Aquino should blame herself for being a weakling when her administration was losing one battle after another to our loyal soldiers and was bailed out by Tadiar himself. What a disgrace the President is, and it was the weakness of her administration that allowed Tadiar to become the real dictator.” Posted by a pro-Marcos supporter on VossCode*



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Portions from the Interview with Benigno Simeon Aquino
Global News Canada Interview, November 23, 1999


Discussing the deaths of the Marcos family under government custody


Interviewer: You have stated in your official interview with us back then that the responsibility for the deaths of the entire Marcos family rested on the shoulders of Brigadier General Tadiar. Can you please explain it to me?


Aquino: Certainly. Although my mother had the official say on what goes on with the Marcos family’s house arrest, ultimately it was Tadiar who held the real authority. As Deputy Minister for National Defense, Tadiar was also placed in charge of all NICA agents, and had authority to connect and collaborate with various law enforcements who were working with him. Yes, while the actual Minister for National Defense is notified of what is going on in the camps, he was mostly busy with the re-integration and reformation of the armed forces by weeding out the soldiers who fought for Fabian Ver.


Interviewer: So, in essence, the Minister for National Defense was basically cashiering the pro-Marcos soldiers, out of the military? Do you think there is a potential danger in letting these soldiers go?


Aquino: At that time, we were desperate to rebuild the country after the civil war. We did not notice the red flags being raised while our country is slowly moving forward from the previous dictatorship.


Interviewer: You are of course, referring to the controversial demise of former First Lady Imelda Marcos, right?


Aquino: Yes. While her husband had died of natural causes despite the medical care he is given, the official story was that she often forgot to feed herself. Unofficially, the camp guards had neglected to give her even the smallest amount of food and water. After only three months of the camp’s construction, former soldiers who fought for General Ver were also sent into these camps to perform hard labor as punishment for fighting on the wrong side.


Interviewer: That does seem to be a bit harsh, don’t you think so?


Aquino: It was harsh in a sense that the cashiered soldiers were making amends to the country for fighting on the side of the fallen dictator. However, the real warning sign that my mother should have spotted was when the camps started receiving captured New People’s Army militants who surrendered. Even after the camps were completed, former soldiers who fought for Marcos and Ver were incarcerated in the same areas as former NPA terrorists. That was the recipe for disaster, and no sooner did the incident start when just five days after both Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos had died, three incarcerated NPA militants had raped and killed Aimee Marcos in the Tanusa Island camp. On October 1st of 1988, Bongbong Marcos was found dead with his throat slit and multiple stab wounds were found in his body. Officially, the incarcerated NPA militants were to blame for the mysterious deaths of the Marcos family’s children. It was not until October 9th when Imee Marcos was found dead with a broken skull that the camp guards started asking questions. Questions that Tadiar was not comfortable answering.


Interviewer: Such as?


Aquino: How and why were several NPA detainees were able to get their hands on the weapons inside the camps when the camp guards were strict with the amount of contraband being shipped inside. It was not until October 19 that Defense Minister Enrile sent Brigadier General Honasan to investigate the camps and asked the criminal investigation committee to examine the corpses of the Marcos children. When Honasan told Enrile in his report that there were concrete signs of torture, it was then that Enrile reported to my mother about the abuse in the camps. By then, Tadiar was able to send Majors Doromal and Aromin into the Philippine Constabulary to secure their cooperation for one of his great plans.


Interviewer: Which would have been the event that led to his rise to power as the second actual dictator in the Philippines?


Aquino: Not quite yet. It was another bombing incident that would push Tadiar to launch his coup against my mother. Unfortunately, it was not a false flag attack, because if it was, then Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel Ramos would have survived the bombing albeit injured instead of dying on the Halloween Surprise.


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DOUBLE MURDER IN MANILA! BOTH RAMOS AND ENRILE DIE IN TARGETED ASSASSINATIONS, SUPPORTERS OF LATE DICTATOR BLAMED FOR THE ATTACK
Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 31, 1988


Manila, NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION – In what is described as the deadliest politically motivated attack in the Philippines since the EDSA Revolution, both Fidel Ramos and Juan Ponce Enrile were killed in a double assassination incident. Defense Minister Enrile was killed by an anti-tank weapon fired by a soldier who was cashiered out of the AFP on his orders, while stalking after him in the capital. Former Private Pedro Godoy was arrested at the scene of the crime, with an M72 LAW anti-tank recoilless rifle being confiscated from his person. Three hours after Enrile’s death, Fidel Ramos was shot to death by a hired assassin while getting off his vehicle in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Unlike the incident with Enrile, Ramos’s killer was able to get away from the crime scene with the help of some civilians who were sympathetic to the former dictator. President Corazon Aquino was asked if she would impose martial law until the killers were brought to justice.


“Right now, declaring martial law would play into the hands of the people who killed former Defense Minister Enrile and Fidel Ramos. We will cooperate with the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau for Investigation and the National Intelligence Coordination Agency in tracking down the assassins,” Aquino commented after being asked about the assassination incident.


An unheard-of group calling itself “Bagong Lipunan”, after the former political party led by the late dictator, claimed responsibility for the attacks on Enrile and Ramos. In addition, at the same time as the murder of Ramos and Enrile, Major Edgardo Doromal narrowly survived an assassination attempt on his life when his would-be killer fired a shot from a Beretta 92 handgun, but only grazed his shoulder. Major Doromal is recovering from the ordeal after being assessed by Army doctors, who were able to confirm the status of the Major.


“Major Doromal’s only injury was the light grazing on his upper shoulder from a bullet that was fired from a Beretta 92. If it had struck his shoulder, he would have been discharged from the army. However, if it hit his lung, he would have been killed,” the army doctor commented on the health condition of Major Doromal.


With the death of Juan Ponce Enrile, President Aquino wasted no time in promoting Brigadier General Tadiar to Minister for National Defense, while appointing Colonel Manuel Oxales to the role of Deputy Minister for National Defense, upon Tadiar’s recommendation. However, Tadiar in his capacity as the new Minister for National Defense, had quickly promoted not only Major Doromal, but Major Saulito Aromin to Lieutenant Colonel for their service during the Philippine Civil War. Finally, Tadiar told President Aquino that he would use his authority to crack down on the “Bagong Lipunan” group, which he quickly declared it as a terrorist and criminal organization.


---


VANCOUVER NBA EXPANSION FRANCHISE AMBITIONS HIT A SNAG WITH LEAGUE REJECTION
The Province
February 15, 1995


Vancouver, BRITISH COLUMBIA – To the disappointment of Northwest Sports Enterprises owner Arthur Griffiths, the National Basketball Association had narrowly rejected his proposal for an NBA franchise in Vancouver. This comes at a time when the other Canadian city to acquire an NBA team, the newly formed Toronto Raptors, had been given approval for the basketball expansion team to start its operations soon. The main reason for the NBA Expansion Committee’s rejection of Vancouver as a candidate is due to the weakening power of the Canadian dollar. Furthermore, other candidates for the NBA expansion targets included Louisville, San Diego (which briefly hosted the San Diego Clippers before moving to Los Angeles), Las Vegas, Montreal, and Kansas City. However, David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, insisted that because of the questionable status of the Canadian dollar, it might be more prudent to keep one team in Canada while another expansion team would be selected within the United States. Although Mr. Griffiths would not give up on his campaign to bring an NBA team to Vancouver, he reluctantly accepted the NBA’s disapproval of the expansion target to Vancouver.


Many basketball fans in Vancouver are disappointed with the move, considering that the city is now home to one of the fastest growing basketball fans in Western Canada, many of them being Filipino Canadian political exiles who fled from the Philippines after Brigadier General Artemio Tadiar seized power in a coup that was reminiscent of the Chilean coup in which his role model (and current political friend) Augusto Pinochet had seized power. It is not surprising that the Filipino exiles had grown up watching basketball, while other Asian Canadians in Vancouver had become avid ice hockey fans, especially the Vancouver Canucks. At the same time, the influx of Filipino basketball players who also fled from their homeland are making headlines in various Canadian and American high school newspapers, with even a future NBA career being mentioned in some of them.


---

AZKALS ADVANCE TO AFC SECOND ROUND OF FIFA WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION FOR MEXICO WITH 4-0 AGGREGATE SCORE
Manila Times
March 18, 2015


Kabankalan, FEDERAL CAPITAL REGION – For the first time in the history of the Philippine national football team, the Azkals are advancing into the Second Round of the AFC section in the FIFA World Cup qualification phase for the 2018 tournament in Mexico, with a 3-0 victory over the visiting Yemeni national team. The victory was bittersweet for many players, who were nicknamed ‘generation juntennials’, a portmanteau of ‘millennial’ and ‘junta’, the latter referring to the infamous military junta of Major General Artemio Tadiar. Philippines coach Miroslav Bojko was especially ecstatic with the efforts made by his team to bring them closer to the tournament.


“This advancement is just the beginning for the Philippine national team. Just because we won the first round, does not mean we are in the FIFA World Cup tournament. We still need to play in the second round as well,” comments Miroslav Bojko after being asked about the improvements made on the team since taking over. “It looks like all the laps I made the team do paid off in the end, as I repeatedly told them that it is all about the running. The scoring comes later, but the most important is the running.”


It is hard to believe that only four years ago, the Azkals barely had any international experience, with many of its players being domestically developed, as many football players with partial Filipino extraction refusing to play for their adopted country while the military junta still rules it. However, with the ascension of Croatian-born coach Bojko, the Philippine Football Federation has embarked on a massive reformation campaign, with football academies being built around the country. New stadiums are also built, with the most recent completed stadium being in Kabankalan’s Camugao National Stadium. The new stadium, which can host up to 50,000 spectators, was completed in 2014 after the project was first launched back in 2010. The main reason why it took four years for the stadium to be built was the involvement of the Philippine military engineers, who were insistent on making all the constructed buildings able to withstand major earthquakes. Moreover, the junta has often punished construction companies if they made a sloppy job in their work, as evident by one of the colonels who saw the shoddy workmanship on the part of the stadium, and ordered it blown up before restarting the project.


In addition, Coach Bojko has also paid attention to the amount of nutrition that his football players are consuming, with whole wheat bread and carabao meat being the most recommended food for the development of their bodies, along with plenty of vegetables. It is even said that nearby farms around Negros Island have grown enough rice and vegetables to feed the entire football team (players and staff as well). Most importantly, the amount of dairy being consumed was also a major factor, as he repeatedly told his players that average football players are medium sized to tall sized. Finally, the AFP Athletic Corps has played a major role in the development of its players who are serving their three-year mandatory military service. Still, Bojko is hopeful that the Philippines would be able to imitate their Icelandic cousins, who are making headlines in the sports press with their surprising amount of wins in their belts.


---

*VossCode is basically TTL's version of Facebook, only the Winkelvoss twins actually become more prominent in pioneering social media than Mark Zuckerberg. That alone will be covered in another update, or another OMAKE.

[kyuzoaoi]

Oh shit...

BTW, would Tadiar initiate some Pinochet-style helicopter executions?

[gillan1220]

You are right. Fabian Ver would have been kinder compared to Tadiar.

[TheRomanSlayer]

Jan 6, 2021 6:33:47 GMT kyuzoaoi said:

Oh shit...

BTW, would Tadiar initiate some Pinochet-style helicopter executions?

Well, remember the camps being built with part of the hard labor being done by the Marcos children? We just barely scratched the surface of it all, and the part with the Japanese Yakuza in the Philippines? Remember the previous part of the update where the Yakuza was involved in the mass production of IEDs that exploded in Aparri?

Jan 6, 2021 6:46:53 GMT gillan1220 said:

You are right. Fabian Ver would have been kinder compared to Tadiar.

Yeah, and this is the prelude to the part where Tadiar emerges as the true dictator. He might even behave in a similar manner to Saddam Hussein or Ghadaffi, though more mellowed out. Even Marcos himself at the height of the OTL Martial Law, killed 3,257 people and 70,000 people were incarcerated. TTL’s Philippine Civil War at least killed over 50,000 civilians, and by the time the military dictatorship is done, that 70,000 figure would have shot up to a number that would surpass even the typical Latin American dictatorships. One other note here is that unlike OTL Tadiar who died in 1999, TTL’s Tadiar would have lived a bit longer because of the help of his Japanese nurses. 

In essence, the way TTL’s Tadiar is bringing Japanese nurses into the Philippines while Filipino nurses would be driven into exile in order to work at foreign hospitals might be a bit worse than OTL Duterte bringing Chinese workers (POGO and non-POGO alike) into the Philippines. So we may also see a bit of a political version of the cultural Japan Wave happening in the Philippines. And this also has an effect on the Philippine health care and educational system, since you might even see East Asian style school life creeping into the Philippines. Imagine Filipino high school boys with black or blue Japanese style school uniforms, and high school girls wearing Japanese style high school skirts that are longer than OTL Filipino high school girls’ uniform. No, there won’t be cram school but a Military Preparation Program in place. Also, you could also see a serious attempt at reviving the Spanish language in the Philippines as well, though it would be through Mexico and Chile instead of Spain.

[gillan1220]

Jan 6, 2021 7:01:40 GMT TheRomanSlayer said:

Yeah, and this is the prelude to the part where Tadiar emerges as the true dictator. He might even behave in a similar manner to Saddam Hussein or Ghadaffi, though more mellowed out. Even Marcos himself at the height of the OTL Martial Law, killed 3,257 people and 70,000 people were incarcerated. TTL’s Philippine Civil War at least killed over 50,000 civilians, and by the time the military dictatorship is done, that 70,000 figure would have shot up to a number that would surpass even the typical Latin American dictatorships. One other note here is that unlike OTL Tadiar who died in 1999, TTL’s Tadiar would have lived a bit longer because of the help of his Japanese nurses. 

In essence, the way TTL’s Tadiar is bringing Japanese nurses into the Philippines while Filipino nurses would be driven into exile in order to work at foreign hospitals might be a bit worse than OTL Duterte bringing Chinese workers (POGO and non-POGO alike) into the Philippines. So we may also see a bit of a political version of the cultural Japan Wave happening in the Philippines. And this also has an effect on the Philippine health care and educational system, since you might even see East Asian style school life creeping into the Philippines. Imagine Filipino high school boys with black or blue Japanese style school uniforms, and high school girls wearing Japanese style high school skirts that are longer than OTL Filipino high school girls’ uniform. No, there won’t be cram school but a Military Preparation Program in place. Also, you could also see a serious attempt at reviving the Spanish language in the Philippines as well, though it would be through Mexico and Chile instead of Spain.

Since Tadiar is bringing the Japanese back, this would bring so much bad memories for those living World War II veterans and those that lived through it. They would be shaking their heads that Tadiar is worse than Jose P. Laurel. Now that the Japanese are coming to the country just like how there are tons of Chinese illegal workers in the PH in OTL, would anime and Japanese cars be more famous?

[TheRomanSlayer]

Japanese cars are already numerous in the Philippines before Tadiar, I reckon. Anime would also be famous as well, though Tadiar might also try to at least tone down the more controversial parts of it. If I recall, the Marcos period also saw the showing of Voltes V and its banning by the previous dictatorship due to its subliminal nature of the show. Tadiar’s approach to Voltes V on the other hand, might have a bigger leeway. However, as we would have seen, Tadiar’s “Voltes V” moment in terms of issuing a quick ban was Exiled Barkada’s subliminal rap songs.

Regarding the flood of Japanese, though it might be seen as a huge influx, it might be controlled at first. Remember that Tadiar might also be seen as pro-American as well, but he was only a kid when the Japanese occupied the Philippines, so he may or may not have the same kind of memory as his family did. Yes, the comparison to Jose P. Laurel might be used more often. Also, remember the part where some of the Filipino officers who ran the camps learned it from known former Chilean graduates of the School of the Americas? That might play a major role in future conflicts to come.

One other thing that I have to say this in mind is that TTL’s Duterte might be more open to his pro-Chinese views than his OTL counterpart, mainly due to his mother being killed by Alsa Mass by mistake. Plus he’s got the OTL masterminds of the 1989 or 1990 Davao Hostage Crisis with him, so he might be a bit more murderous than his OTL counterpart. Even TTL’s Arturo Tolentino would not like the influx of Japanese in the Philippines, which should tell you something.

[gillan1220]

Jan 6, 2021 7:16:40 GMT TheRomanSlayer said:

Japanese cars are already numerous in the Philippines before Tadiar, I reckon. Anime would also be famous as well, though Tadiar might also try to at least tone down the more controversial parts of it. If I recall, the Marcos period also saw the showing of Voltes V and its banning by the previous dictatorship due to its subliminal nature of the show. Tadiar’s approach to Voltes V on the other hand, might have a bigger leeway. However, as we would have seen, Tadiar’s “Voltes V” moment in terms of issuing a quick ban was Exiled Barkada’s subliminal rap songs.

Regarding the flood of Japanese, though it might be seen as a huge influx, it might be controlled at first. Remember that Tadiar might also be seen as pro-American as well, but he was only a kid when the Japanese occupied the Philippines, so he may or may not have the same kind of memory as his family did. Yes, the comparison to Jose P. Laurel might be used more often. Also, remember the part where some of the Filipino officers who ran the camps learned it from known former Chilean graduates of the School of the Americas? That might play a major role in future conflicts to come.

One other thing that I have to say this in mind is that TTL’s Duterte might be more open to his pro-Chinese views than his OTL counterpart, mainly due to his mother being killed by Alsa Mass by mistake. Plus he’s got the OTL masterminds of the 1989 or 1990 Davao Hostage Crisis with him, so he might be a bit more murderous than his OTL counterpart. Even TTL’s Arturo Tolentino would not like the influx of Japanese in the Philippines, which should tell you something.

Yeah, my dad and most of the Baby Boomers remember the Voltes V back then in the 1970s.

Yes, nationalistic Filipinos would not take it too kindly seeing those Japanese influx in the Philippines. The war only ended roughly 40 years ago. The memories of it would still be fresh. Keep in mind the Japanese were already in Davao as spies before the invasion on December 8, 1941. Of course, the greater threat isn't the Japanese migrant workers and the Yakuza but the Red Dragon to the north.

I wonder how Washington sees of Tadiar. A murderous tyrant but needed to keep the Soviets then the Chinese out of the Indo-Pacific region.

Speaking of Duterte, what would become of him? Is he just another mayor of Davao City here.

[TheRomanSlayer]

I doubt Duterte would become Mayor of Davao, let alone President. That is, if the junta didn’t get to him first. Washington on the other hand, we are about to get the first glimpse of the fallout from Tadiargate 1.0, which would tie in with a later exposure of the Iran-Contra Scandal, which would result in a massive fallout for the Reagan administration. Plus the US might have another Nixon moment regarding Tadiar, and it would have been just 15 years since the Pinochet coup.

Keep in mind that Indonesia, while it was also occupied by the Japanese during WWII, doesn’t have the same anti-Japanese sentiment as the Philippines. In fact a good chunk of Indonesia’s pro-independence fighters were actually trained by the Japanese and some Japanese stayed behind to help the Indonesians fight the Dutch, so there could be a precedent there. If anything, Prabowo Subianto would be the more Japanophile than Tadiar. But eventually those sanctions would be imposed, as well as the arms embargo. If anything, the anti-Japanese protests in the Philippines TTL would come from both WWII veterans, the Tsinoy community, and left wing groups. I think I could squeeze in Eduardo Joson in the next update since he would still be living until 1990, and he was an active participant in the Raid on Cabanatuan.

[gillan1220]

Jan 6, 2021 7:34:48 GMT TheRomanSlayer said:

Keep in mind that Indonesia, while it was also occupied by the Japanese during WWII, doesn’t have the same anti-Japanese sentiment as the Philippines. In fact a good chunk of Indonesia’s pro-independence fighters were actually trained by the Japanese and some Japanese stayed behind to help the Indonesians fight the Dutch, so there could be a precedent there.

The same for Vietnam too. 800-2000 Japanese nationals remained in Vietnam after the surrender in September 1945. Among these were disgruntled IJA that refused to surrender and return to country in shame. These IJA not only fought alongside the Viet Minh against the French but they also trained and better organized the Viet Minh.

[stevep]

Jan 6, 2021 5:03:09 GMT TheRomanSlayer said:

.....


---

DOUBLE MURDER IN MANILA! BOTH RAMOS AND ENRILE DIE IN TARGETED ASSASSINATIONS, foSUPPORTERS OF LATE DICTATOR BLAMED FOR THE ATTACK
Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 31, 1988


Manila, NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION – In what is described as the deadliest politically motivated attack in the Philippines since the EDSA Revolution, both Fidel Ramos and Juan Ponce Enrile were killed in a double assassination incident. Defense Minister Enrile was killed by an anti-tank weapon fired by a soldier who was cashiered out of the AFP on his orders, while stalking after him in the capital. Former Private Pedro Godoy was arrested at the scene of the crime, with an M72 LAW anti-tank recoilless rifle being confiscated from his person. Three hours after Enrile’s death, Fidel Ramos was killed by the same anti-tank weapon while being driven from his home in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. Unlike the incident with Enrile, Ramos’s killer was able to get away from the crime scene with the help of some civilians who were sympathetic to the former dictator. President Corazon Aquino was asked if she would impose martial law until the killers were brought to justice.


“Right now, declaring martial law would play into the hands of the people who killed former Defense Minister Enrile and Fidel Ramos. We will cooperate with the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau for Investigation and the National Intelligence Coordination Agency in tracking down the assassins,” Aquino commented after being asked about the assassination incident.


An unheard-of group calling itself “Bagong Lipunan”, after the former political party led by the late dictator, claimed responsibility for the attacks on Enrile and Ramos. In addition, at the same time as the murder of Ramos and Enrile, Major Edgardo Doromal narrowly survived an assassination attempt on his life when his would-be killer fired a shot from a Beretta 92 handgun, but only grazed his shoulder. Major Doromal is recovering from the ordeal after being assessed by Army doctors, who were able to confirm the status of the Major.


“Major Doromal’s only injury was the light grazing on his upper shoulder from a bullet that was fired from a Beretta 92. If it had struck his shoulder, he would have been discharged from the army. However, if it hit his lung, he would have been killed,” the army doctor commented on the health condition of Major Doromal.


With the death of Juan Ponce Enrile, President Aquino wasted no time in promoting Brigadier General Tadiar to Minister for National Defense, while appointing Colonel Manuel Oxales to the role of Deputy Minister for National Defense, upon Tadiar’s recommendation. However, Tadiar in his capacity as the new Minister for National Defense, had quickly promoted not only Major Doromal, but Major Saulito Aromin to Lieutenant Colonel for their service during the Philippine Civil War. Finally, Tadiar told President Aquino that he would use his authority to crack down on the “Bagong Lipunan” group, which he quickly declared it as a terrorist and criminal organization.

  TheRomanSlayer,

  That sounds rather like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse, or Dracula in charge of the bloodbank.  Those two assassinations, along with the murders of the Marcos's sound distinctly arranged.  Using a M72 LAW for an assassination sounds unlikely, let alone after one killer has been caught that same weapon is used again for the 2nd murder.  That Doromal was only grazed so lightly sounds like that was a fake to make it look like pro-Tadiar figures were being targeted as well.  I suspect Aquino has made a final mistake in giving the real enemy to democracy in the Philippines even more power.

  Steve

[TheRomanSlayer]

I may do a retcon on the second assassination attempt, though if it will be replaced with something else, I’m not sure.

Edit: Retcon is done, so now Ramos is instead shot to death by a hired assassin. Though we may also find out that TTL's Noynoy Aquino might have been lying in the interview, but why would he? Legally, Tadiar himself would become Acting Defense Minister when the incumbent actual Defense Minister dies, and then he becomes the legal successor to the dead Defense Minister. As we will see soon enough, there is more to Noynoy's story than meets the eye.