EDSA III

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This article is about EDSA III of April 2001. For the EDSA Revolution in January 2001, see EDSA II. For the EDSA Revolution in February 1986, see EDSA I.

May 1 riots
EDSA Tres
A still from an episode of The Probe Team that features Estrada loyalists marching toward Malacañang Palace, calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Note that the Filipino flag is flown with the red field upwards, a Philippine flag usage during a state of war.
DateApril 25–May 1, 2001
Location
Manila, Philippines
Caused byArrest of newly deposed President Joseph Estrada of the Philippines
MethodsProtest
Resulted inViolent dispersal of protesters; declaration of a state of rebellion and arrest leaders of the opposition.[1]
Parties
Lead figures
Number
50,000[2]
Casualties and losses
3 officers wounded[3][4][5][6]
4 dead, many injured[3][7]

The May 1 riots,[2] or EDSA III (pronounced as EDSA Three or EDSA Tres, the Spanish word for "three"), were protests sparked by the arrest of newly deposed president Joseph Estrada of the Philippines from April 25 to May 1, 2001. The protest was held for seven days on a major highway in Metro Manila, Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), which eventually culminated in an attempt to storm Malacañang.

Taking place four months after the Second EDSA Revolution, the protests were considered as a more populist uprising in comparison to the previous demonstrations in the same location in January 2001. The protests and the attack on the presidential palace, however, failed in their objectives. Participants continue to claim that it was a genuine People Power event, a claim disputed by the participants and supporters of EDSA II. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has acknowledged the divisive nature of the two terminologies by saying in one statement that she hoped to be the president of "EDSA II and EDSA III".[citation needed]

Background[edit]

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago expressed vehement support for former president Joseph Estrada and opposition to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo' presidency throughout her reelection campaign in early 2001.[8][9] Her speeches were marked by hyperbolic statements and inflammatory rhetoric: among others, she mentioned that if Estrada is arrested, she will jump off an airplane without a parachute in response, and there would be the possibility of civil war "in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao".[10][11][9] Loi Ejercito, the wife of Estrada, also claimed during her Senate campaign speech on April 4, 2001 that arresting him will cause people to "get mad" and "revolt".[9]

In mid-April 2001, hundreds of supporters of former president Joseph Estrada situated themselves outside the gates of North Greenhills subdivision in San Juan, Metro Manila where Estrada resided in an attempt to guard him from arrest.[12] At this time, residents of a resettlement site that Estrada established in Taytay, Rizal planned to soon stage a protest against his arrest, with a businesswoman from the area stating her firm belief in his innocence: "If Estrada is arrested, we will stage People Power III."[12]

On April 19, Estrada's birthday, the former president visited the resettlement site for his customary birthday celebration in the area, and gave a radio interview mentioning that he was ready to give himself over to authorities upon arrest, stating that "I always submit myself to the rule of law." In addition, he discouraged his supporters from becoming violent: "I want to fight off these charges in a peaceful way."[13]

April 24[edit]

See also: Trial of Joseph Estrada

On April 24, 2001, the Sandiganbayan ordered the arrest of Estrada, his son San Juan mayor Jinggoy Estrada, gambling consultant Charlie "Atong" Ang, and lawyer Edward Serapio over charges of plunder and graft.[14][15] As early as 6:00 am the next day, six thousand police officers at Camp Crame in Quezon City stood by for the order to arrest Estrada, headed by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director-General Leandro Mendoza alongside troopers of the Philippine Marine Corps and the PNP Special Action Force in seven vehicles and five buses.[16]

However, an estimated 6,000 loyalists of Estrada had mobilized to Greenhills in San Juan to block the police and military from arresting the former president, who lived inside the North Greenhills subdivision.[16] The PNP had floated the possibility of having to forcibly airlift Estrada from his home with airborne troops if the police squad headed by Mendoza was unable to enter the subdivision, as loyalists blocked the combined police and military forces from accessing the subdivision's Buchanan gate along Club Filipino Avenue with a blockade made out of jeepneys and human barricades.[16]

At 2:00 pm, the situation between the police and the loyalists became tense when anti-riot personnel began approaching the human barricades. Out of fear of antagonizing the loyalists and instigating a riot, the anti-riot personnel withdrew. However, at around 3 pm, the police and military forces aborted the operation for the day as the Sandiganbayan had not yet issued the warrant for Estrada's arrest.[16]

April 25–30[edit]

On April 25, the Sandiganbayan finally issued the arrest order at noon. At 3:00 pm, court-appointed sheriff Ed Urieta, two thousand police officers, and troopers of the Philippine Marine Corps accompanied by PNP Chief Mendoza arrived at Estrada's home and served the warrant.[14] The arresting team escorted Estrada and his son Jinggoy into a PNP-owned Toyota Coaster to take them both to a detention center at Camp Crame. Estrada's lawyers were able to persuade the police to let them ride in a private vehicle instead of the police Coaster, as armed police officers escorted a privately-owned van as it moved out of the North Greenhills subdivision towards Camp Crame.[14]

After both Estrada and his son were processed and put into a cell, Estrada released a statement maintaining his innocence and denounced the Arroyo government's efforts to persecute him as a "violation of his human rights", calling Filipinos to "witness this denial of justice and mockery of the Bill of Rights."[14]

As a result, a crowd of an alleged 700,000 loyalists (although according to Eagle Broadcasting Corporation-owned broadcast network Net 25 and to Senator Tito Sotto, a high of over 3 million in the evening from April 25–30), most of whom were members of the urban poor and devotees of the Iglesia ni Cristo, which institutionally supported Estrada, gathered at the Roman Catholic EDSA Shrine, the site of the January EDSA II revolt that had toppled Estrada from the presidency.[citation needed]

News organizations aiming to cover the rally were advised not to approach the area, as there were reports of stones being thrown at cameramen, particularly those from ABS-CBN.[citation needed]

The protest was led by members of the political opposition of the time, most notably Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Vicente Sotto III, Gringo Honasan, Panfilo Lacson and Miriam Defensor-Santiago.[17][18]

On the night of April 30, the scene turned violent as riot police fired warning shots and tear gas on crowds of supporters of Estrada. Some of the estimated 20,000 marchers picked up abandoned shields and raided a construction site for scrap wood to use as clubs. Volleys of shots later rang out from a second line of officers, and again when the crowds reached the palace and tried to force their way into the fenced compound. They then broke through a third police line, the last before a phalanx of heavily armed officers that waited at Mendiola, a key bridge entrance to the presidential palace. A policeman, laying injured and bloody, was pelted with rocks by protesters. Marchers used a dump truck to break through an initial line of riot police who dropped their plastic shields and scattered. At least one person died and many injured as thousands of protestors clashed with riot police outside the palace.[3]

May 1[edit]

The rebellion sought to remove Arroyo from the presidency and to reinstate Estrada. The rebellion came to a head in the early morning of May 1, 2001, as most of the people left, specifically the Iglesia ni Cristo members, as an agreement between their leaders and the government occurred. Yet hundreds of thousands of protesters still stormed towards Malacañang Palace, the presidential residence. Two of Estrada's sons, JV Ejercito and Jude Estrada, were observed marching with the crowd and leaving before they reached Mendiola Street.[19][20][21][22][23] Several broadcast vans of ABS-CBN were torched by members of the crowd, while others attacked the police and soldiers with rocks, sticks, and pipes. The government continued enforcing a "maximum tolerance" policy for the police and military in responding to the protesters,[24][25] with them dispersing the marchers with warning shots and tear gases.[7] The enforcement of the "maximum tolerance" policy was later credited with preventing an escalation of the violence.[26][27][28]

President Arroyo declared a state of rebellion in the National Capital Region pursuant to Proclamation No. 38[1] and arrested leaders who participated in the said rebellion, such as Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and former ambassador Ernesto Maceda, but released them on bail.[29] She also announced the death of two police officers, expressing sympathy towards their families.[4] Journalists however later corrected their initial reports and stated that one officer (PO1 Grant Fausto Savedia) turned out to be alive while the other officer was killed in Manila in a prior incident unrelated to the riots.[5][6]

Casualties[edit]

Three protesters and one bystander were killed during the riots and dispersal.[6]

  1. Jhun Bado
  2. Efren Malacer, 32
  3. Raul T. Rosal, 30, employee of Friends of Gringo Honasan Movement (FOGHOM)[30]
  4. Tiburcio Arciage, 54, bystander

Aftermath[edit]

On May 7, 2001, President Arroyo lifted the notice of a state of rebellion.[29] Hours after the crowds of EDSA III were dispersed, representatives of the Archdiocese of Manila and Civil Society supporters of the Arroyo administration reclaimed the EDSA Shrine where there had been alleged acts of vandalism and garbage everywhere and the vicinity reeked with the strong smell of human waste.[citation needed]

Unlike previous upheavals under the EDSA name, EDSA III was marred by widespread destruction and vandalism of public utilities (stop lights and street posts where thrown down), torchings of media equipment particularly those of ABS-CBN, and attacks on stores fronting the protest routes at Claro M. Recto Avenue, Legarda Street, Chino Roces (Mendiola) Street, Rizal Avenue, Nicanor Reyes (Morayta Street) and Quezon Boulevard.[citation needed]

Most of those arrested were later set free. As for the public figures that supported the rallies, they shied away at its most critical time when it became obvious, that the Arroyo administration was not backing down from this confrontation which it perceived was political manipulation which resulted in mob mentality and anarchy of the masses urged by its political opponents.[citation needed]

President Arroyo gave an award to Navy Lt. Cmdr. Edwin Mackay on May 23, 2001 for leading his Navy contingent in the defense of Malacañang during the riots.[31]

On July 3, 2001, the Department of Justice dropped charges against 147 pro-Estrada rallyists upon the orders of President Arroyo, with the protesters signing affidavits that stated "they had nothing to do with the siege and that they were merely used."[32] Three days later, they were released from the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Pampanga Governor Lito Lapid.[33]

On October 20, 2001, an arrest warrant was issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 27 against Ronald Lumbao, spokesman of the People's Movement Against Poverty (PMAP), due to charges of rebellion for his alleged role as leader in the attempted storming of Malacañang by rallyists on May 1.[34][35] On April 25, 2002, Lumbao was captured by police authorities in an apartment building in Quezon City.[36]

Criticism[edit]

Critics of EDSA III, styled after the People Power Revolution (EDSA Revolution) and EDSA Revolution of 2001, argue that while this was a major protest, the spirit of it was unlike of the first and second protests. Supporters of EDSA III allege that EDSA's I and II's participants were made up of the professional–managerial class and as such not democratically representative unlike those who had participated in EDSA III. Other arguments also point to the success of the first two to remove the presidents targeted, versus this event's failure to do so.[citation needed]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Presidential Proclamation No. 38 Archived December 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b "PNP: No repeat of May 1 riots". The Philippine Star. April 29, 2002. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Pro-Estrada protests converge on presidential palace in Manila". Associated Press. April 30, 2001. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "The government has now declared a state of rebellion". Associated Press. May 1, 2001. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Nocum, Armand N.; Veridiano, Dave (May 3, 2001). "'Dead' cop hailed as living hero". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A1. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Aning, Jerome (May 3, 2001). "Erap loyalists' rampage cost ₱100M". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A16. Retrieved April 3, 2024. [Senior Supt. Nicolas] Pacinos clarified that the lone police fatality, PO3 Rolando Abello, was not killed during the dispersal.
  7. ^ a b "'TV Patrol' recounts EDSA 2 and 3 coverage". TV Patrol. January 9, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  8. ^ Avendaño, Christine (January 24, 2001). "2 senators hit Lee comment on Edsa 2". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. 2. Retrieved March 26, 2024. Santiago said Macapagal's succession climaxed by her oath-taking at the Edsa Shrine, was illegal under the present Constitution[...]
  9. ^ a b c Pagharion, Gerry; Pazzibugan, Dona; Donato, Agnes; Burgonio, TJ (April 5, 2001). "Loi, Miriam warn of civil war, revolt". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A1. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Crisostomo, Shiela; Pareño, Roel; Dematera, Cet; Regalado, Edith (April 26, 2001). "Miriam urged: Go ahead, jump". Philstar.com. Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  11. ^ Mercado, Juan L. (April 27, 2001). "Ending Santiago's bizarre promises". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A10. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Donato, Agnes E.; Esguerra, Christian V. (April 17, 2001). "'They will have to kill us first...'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. pp. A1, A12. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  13. ^ Alquitran, Non (April 20, 2001). "Stay calm, Estrada tells supporters". Philstar.com. Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d Clapano, Jose Rodel; Laude, Jaime; Alquitran, Non. "Estrada jailed for plunder". Philstar.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  15. ^ "G.R. No. 148560". lawphil.net. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  16. ^ a b c d Mendez, Christina; Alquitran, Non. "Airborne troops on alert for arrest". Philstar.com. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  17. ^ "Miriam to GMA: Resign or we will storm palace". The Philippine Star. April 30, 2001. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  18. ^ "Remembering the Iglesia-led EDSA 3". Rappler. August 25, 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  19. ^ Doronillo, Amando (May 2, 2001). "The state defends itself". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A9. Retrieved April 13, 2024. Those who were spotted by intelligence agents included[...] former President Estrada's sons—Jude and JV Ejercito, according to intelligence reports.
  20. ^ Herrera, Christine; Nocum, Armand (May 4, 2001). "Perez: Junta plotters planned to kill GMA, Erap". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A20. Retrieved April 13, 2024. Jude Estrada and Ejercito accompanied the marchers up the SM Centerpoint area in Sta. Mesa, but left just before violence erupted.
  21. ^ Soliven, Max (May 4, 2001). "There's big money behind the 'troubles': That's what worries me". Philstar.com. Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved April 13, 2024. The other [son of Joseph Estrada under suspicion], whose name has become public since he was recorded by the television cameras of ABS-CBN and GMA-7 as 'talking' to pro-Estrada demonstrators at Nagtahan Bridge on A-Day ('Assault Day') May 1 is Jude Estrada.
  22. ^ Bordadora, Norman (May 5, 2001). "JV, Jude face rebellion raps; 2 mayors, too". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A3. Retrieved April 13, 2024. An exclusive video footage by the GMA Network showed Jude Estrada[...] among the pro-Estrada crowd that marched toward Malacañang on the morning of May 1. He was wearing a blue shirt with a white towel draped around his neck.
  23. ^ Carpio, Antonio T. (May 6, 2001). "State of rebellion". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A7. Retrieved April 13, 2024. The videotapes show that [Juan Ponce] Enrile urged the mob to march to Malacañang. Witnesses saw the Ejercitos leading the mob along Ortigas Avenue.
  24. ^ "Iglesia ni Cristo: Church at the Crossroads". Archived from the original on October 7, 2007. Retrieved June 23, 2006.
  25. ^ Villanueva, Marichu (May 1, 2001). "Malacañang denies talks for Estrada house arrest". Philstar.com. Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved April 18, 2024. [Noel] Cabrera said the Arroyo administration continues to implement "maximum tolerance" in allowing pro-Estrada rallyists to express their grievances.
  26. ^ Ocampo, Ambeth R. (May 2, 2001). "Surviving". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A9. Retrieved April 18, 2024. Having seen how rallies were dispersed in the [Ferdinand] Marcos years, I never thought I would see the day when "maximum tolerance" was actually observed by the police and military—the same crowd at Malacañang yesterday if transported to the Marcos years would have drawn blood.
  27. ^ Cruz, Neal H. (May 7, 2001). "Did gov't pressure TV not to cover People Power III". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A8. Retrieved April 18, 2024. Also to be congratulated are the officials[...] who laid down the policy of 'maximum tolerance.' A number of dead bodies—like the 14 farmers in the Mendiola massacre—would have inflamed passions and given the protesters more ammunition against the government.
  28. ^ Editorial staff (May 8, 2001). "Ingredients of violence". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A8. Retrieved April 18, 2024. Had scores or hundreds of the marchers been gunned down, probably we would be in the midst of rioting or civil war now. Blood would be running in the streets.
  29. ^ a b CNN News
  30. ^ Gumban, Neil (May 4, 2001). Emergency: Trahedya ng Mga Raliyista. YouTube (in Filipino). Event occurs at 29:11, 30:33. Retrieved April 6, 2024. ...gayun din ang nararamdaman ng mga Erap supporters [sic] sa pagkawala ng isa sa kanilang kasamahan, ang tatlumpung taong gulang na si Raul Rosal.
  31. ^ Cabreza, V.; Marfil, M. (May 24, 2001). "Erap stores out; GMA in". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A14. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  32. ^ Pazzibugan, D. (July 4, 2001). "Gov't drops raps vs Palace attackers". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A5. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  33. ^ Papa, Alcuin (July 7, 2001). "Palace attackers set free". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A3. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  34. ^ "Court orders Lumbao arrest". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. October 20, 2001. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  35. ^ Ubac, Michael Lim; Donato, Agnes (May 2, 2001). "Chronology". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A20. Retrieved April 1, 2024. 1 a.m.—Ronald Lumbao, spokesperson of People's Movement Against Poverty and organizer of the pro-Estrada rallies, makes the ultimate announcement. March on Malacañang now.
  36. ^ Burgonio, TJ; Aning, Jerome (April 26, 2002). "Erap leader falls". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. 1. Retrieved April 1, 2024.

External links[edit]

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