The brilliant Nation Builder President of the Republic of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos on February 28, 1986 delivered the following statement to the press, which gave it short shrift in coverage:
My beloved countrymen:
I am now at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, under the hospitality of the United States government. We are presently looking for private quarters to rent or lease and will leave this base to move there as soon as arrangements have been made.
We have been accommodated very comfortably and treated with utmost respect and generosity. When I left Malacanang Palace, I had decided to move to Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, my home province. However, shortly after arriving at Clark Air Force Base I was informed by President Reagan's direct representative that we would have to leave for Guam instead.
I need not explain to you the situation that developed when elements of the defense and military establishment took steps to take over government authority. This created the need to decide whether to eliminate .them with military force or negotiate.
This situation came to a point that although I had control of superior military power and several opportunities to employ it, the employment of such an overwhelming force, no matter how legitimate, would have resulted in the bloody carnage of innocent civilians.
I have been called brave in my time, perhaps immodestly, but brave as I may have been against foreign invaders, I have no heart to shed Filipino blood. My life has been devoted to the upliftment of the Filipino by re-establishing his identity and dignity.
And so knowing I could lose everything, I chose to use my authority to protect the Filipino people. Now from where I am, I implore you never to forget the ideals and noble objectives which we will attain only through the peaceful unification of our people.
I remain your humble servant,