Fidel Valdez Ramos, former Philippine leader who helped oust dictator, dies at 94

Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos at a 2006 exhibit near Manila.
Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos at a 2006 exhibit marking the twentieth anniversary of the “Folks Energy” revolt that toppled a dictator.
(Aaron Favila / Related Press)

Former Philippine President Fidel Valdez Ramos, a U.S.-trained ex-general who noticed motion within the Korean and Vietnam wars and performed a key position in a 1986 pro-democracy rebellion that ousted a dictator, has died. He was 94.

It was not instantly clear what brought on his demise however one among his longtime aides, Norman Legaspi, informed the Related Press that Ramos had been out and in of the hospital lately resulting from a coronary heart situation and had suffered from dementia.

A few of Ramos’ kin have been with him when he died on Sunday on the Makati Medical Heart in metropolitan Manila, Legaspi mentioned, including the household would challenge an announcement on his demise later Sunday.

“He was an icon. We misplaced a hero and I misplaced a father,” mentioned Legaspi, a retired Philippine air power official, who served as a key workers to Ramos for about 15 years.

Press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles condoled with Ramos’ household. “He leaves behind a colourful legacy and a safe place in historical past for his participation within the nice modifications of our nation, each as navy officer and chief govt,” she mentioned in an announcement.

The cigar-chomping Ramos, recognized for his visionary “win-win” outlook, consideration to element, a thumbs-up signal and agency handshake, served as president from 1992 to 1998, succeeding the democracy icon, Corazon Aquino. She was swept into the presidency in 1986 after an army-backed and largely peaceable “Folks Energy” revolt toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was additionally a cousin of Ramos.

The rebellion, which turned a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide, got here after Ramos, the top of the Philippine Constabulary, and Protection Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile withdrew their help from Marcos following a failed coup.

Roman Catholic Cardinal Jaime Sin then summoned Filipinos to encompass and defend the navy and constabulary camps within the capital area the place the defectors and their forces dug in, sparking essential authorities defections that finally drove Marcos, his household and cronies to U.S. exile.

After Aquino rose to the presidency, Ramos turned the navy chief of workers and later protection secretary, efficiently defending her from a number of violent coup makes an attempt.

Ramos gained the 1992 presidential elections and have become the largely Roman Catholic nation’s first Protestant president. His time period was marked by main reforms and makes an attempt to dismantle telecommunications and different enterprise monopolies that triggered a uncommon financial increase, bolstered the picture of the impoverished Southeast Asian nation and drew reward from enterprise leaders and the worldwide neighborhood.

His calm bearing in instances of crises earned him the moniker “Regular Eddie.”

A son of a longtime legislator and international secretary, Ramos graduated from the U.S. Army Academy at West Level in 1950. He was part of the Philippine fight contingent that fought within the Korean Struggle and was additionally concerned within the Vietnam Struggle as a non-combat civil navy engineer.

Ramos is survived by his spouse, Amelita “Ming” Ramos, a faculty official, pianist, sports activities and an environmental advocate, and their 4 daughters. Their second youngster, Josephine “Jo” Ramos-Samartino, handed away in 2011.

Funeral preparations weren't instantly introduced.

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