The Plaza Miranda bombing (Filipino: Pambobomba sa Liwasang Miranda) occurred during a political rally of the Liberal Party at Plaza Miranda, Quiapo district, Manila, the Philippines on August 21, 1971.[1] It caused nine deaths and injured 95 others, including many prominent Liberal Party politicians.[2]
Plaza Miranda bombing
A still from the documentary film Batas Militar, showing Liberal Party members onstage at the Plaza Miranda, moments before the bombing.
The Liberal Party's campaign rally was held to proclaim the candidacies of eight senatorial bids as well as the candidate for the mayoralty race in Manila. As a crowd of about 4,000 gathered to hear speeches, two grenades were reportedly tossed on stage.[3]
Salonga was among those most seriously injured. The blast left him blind in one eye and deaf in one ear. Small pieces of shrapnel remained lodged in his body until his death in 2016. Councilor Ambrosio "King" Lorenzo Jr. was in a coma for two weeks. He lost sight in his left eye and hearing on the same side. Ramon Bagatsing, the Liberal Party mayoralty candidate for Manila, lost his left leg and suffered a crushed right cheek bone and a shattered right arm.[4]
Suspicion of responsibility for the blast fell upon incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos.[6] Most historians continue to suspect that Marcos perpetrated the bombing as a pretext for his declaration of martial law.[7][8] There were a series of deadly bombings in 1971, and the CIA privately stated that Marcos was responsible for at least one of them. The agency was also almost certain that none of the bombings were perpetrated by Communists. U.S. intelligence documents declassified in the 1990s contained further evidence implicating Marcos. A proven false flag attack took place with the attempted assassination of Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile in 1972. President Richard Nixon then approved Marcos' martial law move on the rationale that the country was being terrorized by Communists.[9]
Some prominent personalities laid the blame on the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) under José María Sison.[10]Jovito Salonga, in his autobiography, stated his belief that Sison and the CPP were responsible.[11]New People's Army defector-turned-Armed Forces of the Philippines Brig. General Victor Corpuz (ret'd) alleged in a 2004 interview that Sison dispatched the cadre who attacked the meeting with a hand grenade.[12] In the prologue of his 1989 autobiography, Corpus claimed that he was present when some leaders of the CPP discussed the bombing after it took place.[13] In interviews by The Washington Post, unnamed former CPP officials alleged that "the (Communist) party leadership planned -- and three operatives carried out -- the attack in an attempt to provoke government repression and push the country to the brink of revolution... Sison had calculated that Marcos could be provoked into cracking down on his opponents, thereby driving thousands of political activists into the underground, the former party officials said. Recruits were urgently needed, they said, to make use of a large influx of weapons and financial aid that China had already agreed to provide."[14] José María Sison has denied these accusations[15] and the CPP has never claimed responsibility for the incident.[16]
Assumption of emergency powers by President Marcos
Having blamed communists, Marcos used the bombing to justify his subsequent suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, an act which would later be seen as a prelude to the declaration of Martial Law more than a year later.[5]
Radicalization of the moderate opposition
Historians note that Marcos' suspension of the writ of Habeas Corpus was the event that forced many members of the moderate opposition, including figures like Edgar Jopson, to join the ranks of the radicals. In the aftermath of the bombing, Marcos lumped all of the opposition together and referred to them as communists, and many former moderates fled to the mountain encampments of the radical opposition to avoid being arrested by Marcos' forces. Those who became disenchanted with the excesses of the Marcos administration and wanted to join the opposition after 1971 often joined the ranks of the radicals, simply because they represented the only group vocally offering opposition to the Marcos government.[17][18]
Bearing on the election
In a setback for Marcos' ruling Nacionalista Party, the Liberals took six of the eight contested Senate seats, as well as the Manila mayoralty with then Congressman Ramon Bagatsing defeating the incumbent Antonio Villegas for the mayorship of the country's premiere city.[4]
Commemoration
On August 21, 2002, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo unveiled a commemorative marker in Plaza Miranda in honor of the nine innocent civilians killed in the blast.[19]
^"Partido Liberal Pilipinas: Timeline". Retrieved October 27, 2007.
^Locsin, Teodoro Jr. . Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
^. Time. August 30, 1971. Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
^ ab. Time Magazine. November 22, 1971. Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2007.
^ abSimafrania, Eduardo D. (August 21, 2006). . The Manila Times. Archived from the original on October 18, 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
^"Fact Check | Claim that Ninoy as mastermind of Plaza Miranda bombing is historical fact is false". News5. July 11, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
^Donnelly, Jack; Howard-Hassmann, Rhoda E. (1987). International Handbook of Human Rights. ABC-CLIO. pp. 280–281. ISBN9780313247880.
^Ciment, James (March 10, 2015). World Terrorism: An Encyclopedia of Political Violence from Ancient Times to the Post-9/11 Era: An Encyclopedia of Political Violence from Ancient Times to the Post-9/11 Era. Routledge. ISBN9781317451518.
^Blitz, Amy (2000). The Contested State: American Foreign Policy and Regime Change in the Philippines. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 106–112. ISBN9780847699346.
^Nepomuceno, Priam (August 19, 2022). "Unmasking the sinister mind behind the 1971 Plaza Miranda bombing". Philippine News Agency.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Dizon, David (November 19, 2002). . ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on July 1, 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
^Soliven, Max (February 12, 2004). "Revolution by Assassination?". The Philippine Star. Philstar Daily, Inc. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
^"EX-COMMUNISTS PARTY BEHIND MANILA BOMBING". The Washington Post. August 4, 1989.
^Distor, Emere. "The Left and Democratisation in the Philippines". Retrieved October 27, 2007.
^Nemenzo, Gemma. "Note from the Underground". Retrieved October 27, 2007.
^Tan, Oscar Franklin (December 8, 2014). "Why Ateneo is honoring Edgar Jopson". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
^Pimentel, Benjamin (2006). U.G. an underground tale: the journey of Edgar Jopson and the first quarter storm generation. Pasig: Anvil Publishing, Inc. ISBN9712715906. OCLC 81146038.
^"GMA joins people in commemorating Plaza Miranda bombing". Retrieved October 27, 2007.
January 20, 2023
plaza, miranda, bombing, filipino, pambobomba, liwasang, miranda, occurred, during, political, rally, liberal, party, plaza, miranda, quiapo, district, manila, philippines, august, 1971, caused, nine, deaths, injured, others, including, many, prominent, libera. The Plaza Miranda bombing Filipino Pambobomba sa Liwasang Miranda occurred during a political rally of the Liberal Party at Plaza Miranda Quiapo district Manila the Philippines on August 21 1971 1 It caused nine deaths and injured 95 others including many prominent Liberal Party politicians 2 Plaza Miranda bombingA still from the documentary film Batas Militar showing Liberal Party members onstage at the Plaza Miranda moments before the bombing LocationPlaza Miranda Quiapo Manila PhilippinesCoordinates14 35 53 N 120 59 01 E 14 59815 N 120 98348 E 14 59815 120 98348 Coordinates 14 35 53 N 120 59 01 E 14 59815 N 120 98348 E 14 59815 120 98348DateAugust 21 1971 UTC 8 TargetLiberal Party members political campaignAttack typebombingWeaponsgrenadeDeaths9Injured95 Contents 1 Bombing 2 Casualties 3 Suspects 4 Aftermath 4 1 Assumption of emergency powers by President Marcos 4 2 Radicalization of the moderate opposition 4 3 Bearing on the election 5 Commemoration 6 See also 7 ReferencesBombing EditThe Liberal Party s campaign rally was held to proclaim the candidacies of eight senatorial bids as well as the candidate for the mayoralty race in Manila As a crowd of about 4 000 gathered to hear speeches two grenades were reportedly tossed on stage 3 Casualties EditAmong those killed instantly were a 5 year old child and The Manila Times photographer Ben Roxas Almost everyone on stage was injured including incumbent congressman for Palawan and future senator Ramon V Mitra Jr incumbent Senator Jovito Salonga Senator Eddie Ilarde Senator Eva Estrada Kalaw Liberal Party president Gerardo Roxas Sergio Osmena Jr son of former President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines Sergio Osmena attorney Martin B Isidro who served as councilor Vice Mayor and Congressman for the City of Manila Ambrosio King Lorenzo Jr who served as the 2nd District Councilor of Manila and Ramon Bagatsing the party s mayoral candidate for Manila Salonga was among those most seriously injured The blast left him blind in one eye and deaf in one ear Small pieces of shrapnel remained lodged in his body until his death in 2016 Councilor Ambrosio King Lorenzo Jr was in a coma for two weeks He lost sight in his left eye and hearing on the same side Ramon Bagatsing the Liberal Party mayoralty candidate for Manila lost his left leg and suffered a crushed right cheek bone and a shattered right arm 4 Suspects EditMarcos blamed the communists and subsequently suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus 5 Suspicion of responsibility for the blast fell upon incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos 6 Most historians continue to suspect that Marcos perpetrated the bombing as a pretext for his declaration of martial law 7 8 There were a series of deadly bombings in 1971 and the CIA privately stated that Marcos was responsible for at least one of them The agency was also almost certain that none of the bombings were perpetrated by Communists U S intelligence documents declassified in the 1990s contained further evidence implicating Marcos A proven false flag attack took place with the attempted assassination of Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile in 1972 President Richard Nixon then approved Marcos martial law move on the rationale that the country was being terrorized by Communists 9 Some prominent personalities laid the blame on the Communist Party of the Philippines CPP under Jose Maria Sison 10 Jovito Salonga in his autobiography stated his belief that Sison and the CPP were responsible 11 New People s Army defector turned Armed Forces of the Philippines Brig General Victor Corpuz ret d alleged in a 2004 interview that Sison dispatched the cadre who attacked the meeting with a hand grenade 12 In the prologue of his 1989 autobiography Corpus claimed that he was present when some leaders of the CPP discussed the bombing after it took place 13 In interviews by The Washington Post unnamed former CPP officials alleged that the Communist party leadership planned and three operatives carried out the attack in an attempt to provoke government repression and push the country to the brink of revolution Sison had calculated that Marcos could be provoked into cracking down on his opponents thereby driving thousands of political activists into the underground the former party officials said Recruits were urgently needed they said to make use of a large influx of weapons and financial aid that China had already agreed to provide 14 Jose Maria Sison has denied these accusations 15 and the CPP has never claimed responsibility for the incident 16 Aftermath Edit National Historical Commission of the Philippines historical marker commemorating Plaza Miranda unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the Plaza Miranda bombing Assumption of emergency powers by President Marcos Edit Having blamed communists Marcos used the bombing to justify his subsequent suspension of the writ of habeas corpus an act which would later be seen as a prelude to the declaration of Martial Law more than a year later 5 Radicalization of the moderate opposition Edit Historians note that Marcos suspension of the writ of Habeas Corpus was the event that forced many members of the moderate opposition including figures like Edgar Jopson to join the ranks of the radicals In the aftermath of the bombing Marcos lumped all of the opposition together and referred to them as communists and many former moderates fled to the mountain encampments of the radical opposition to avoid being arrested by Marcos forces Those who became disenchanted with the excesses of the Marcos administration and wanted to join the opposition after 1971 often joined the ranks of the radicals simply because they represented the only group vocally offering opposition to the Marcos government 17 18 Bearing on the election Edit In a setback for Marcos ruling Nacionalista Party the Liberals took six of the eight contested Senate seats as well as the Manila mayoralty with then Congressman Ramon Bagatsing defeating the incumbent Antonio Villegas for the mayorship of the country s premiere city 4 Commemoration EditOn August 21 2002 President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo unveiled a commemorative marker in Plaza Miranda in honor of the nine innocent civilians killed in the blast 19 See also EditAssassination of Benigno Aquino Jr Jovito Salonga Ramon Bagatsing List of terrorist incidents 1971 Movement of Concerned Citizens for Civil LibertiesReferences Edit Partido Liberal Pilipinas Timeline Retrieved October 27 2007 Locsin Teodoro Jr Benigno S Aquino Jr Man of the Year 1971 Archived from the original on March 6 2012 Retrieved October 27 2007 Death in the Plaza Miranda Time August 30 1971 Archived from the original on December 21 2008 Retrieved October 27 2007 a b Binding Up the Wounds Time Magazine November 22 1971 Archived from the original on December 21 2008 Retrieved October 28 2007 a b Simafrania Eduardo D August 21 2006 Commemorating Ninoy Aquino s assassination The Manila Times Archived from the original on October 18 2007 Retrieved October 27 2007 Fact Check Claim that Ninoy as mastermind of Plaza Miranda bombing is historical fact is false News5 July 11 2022 Retrieved August 13 2022 Donnelly Jack Howard Hassmann Rhoda E 1987 International Handbook of Human Rights ABC CLIO pp 280 281 ISBN 9780313247880 Ciment James March 10 2015 World Terrorism An Encyclopedia of Political Violence from Ancient Times to the Post 9 11 Era An Encyclopedia of Political Violence from Ancient Times to the Post 9 11 Era Routledge ISBN 9781317451518 Blitz Amy 2000 The Contested State American Foreign Policy and Regime Change in the Philippines Rowman amp Littlefield pp 106 112 ISBN 9780847699346 Nepomuceno Priam August 19 2022 Unmasking the sinister mind behind the 1971 Plaza Miranda bombing Philippine News Agency a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Dizon David November 19 2002 Salonga s Journey ABS CBN News Archived from the original on July 1 2007 Retrieved October 27 2007 Soliven Max February 12 2004 Revolution by Assassination The Philippine Star Philstar Daily Inc Retrieved August 21 2015 Victor N Corpus 1989 Silent war VNC Enterprises p 13 ISBN 978 971 91158 0 9 EX COMMUNISTS PARTY BEHIND MANILA BOMBING The Washington Post August 4 1989 Distor Emere The Left and Democratisation in the Philippines Retrieved October 27 2007 Nemenzo Gemma Note from the Underground Retrieved October 27 2007 Tan Oscar Franklin December 8 2014 Why Ateneo is honoring Edgar Jopson Philippine Daily Inquirer Retrieved December 4 2018 Pimentel Benjamin 2006 U G an underground tale the journey of Edgar Jopson and the first quarter storm generation Pasig Anvil Publishing Inc ISBN 9712715906 OCLC 81146038 GMA joins people in commemorating Plaza Miranda bombing Retrieved October 27 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Plaza Miranda bombing amp oldid 1133338013, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
