 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2007) |
Fabian C. Ver was a former General and the former Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos.
| Fabian Cachola Ver | |
|---|---|
| January 20, 1920 – November 21, 1998 | |
 GEN Fabian C. Ver AFP |
|
| Place of birth | Sarrat, Ilocos Norte |
| Place of death | Bangkok, Thailand |
| Allegiance |  Republic of the Philippines |
| Service/branch | Philippine Army |
| Rank |  General |
| Commands held | Armed Forces of the Philippines |
Contents |
Military and political career
He was the second most powerful man during the Marcos regime. Ver graduated from the University of the Philippines, led the Reserved Officers Training Corps, and worked his way up as a regular officer in the military ranks, serving as a guerrilla intelligence officer in World War II and after. He was loyal to Marcos, and Marcos rewarded his loyalty by making him his top military aide. Ver would be a feared figure during the martial law years, but he was not known to have committed human rights violations. Martial law was lifted in 1981, and Ver continued to serve until he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philiippines over Gen. Fidel V. Ramos who was head of Philippine Constabulary now the present Philippine National Police, and Ver's junior officer on 1981 replacing General Romeo C. Espino who then retired from active military service. Ver also headed the Presidential Security Command (PSC) now known as the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and the National Intelligence Security Agency (NISA) now known as the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) during the martial law period until 1986.
Crisis
Ver kept officers loyal to Marcos and the Constitution on the armed forces, thus making rebellious officers disgruntled. The Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) was formed as a result of this. The RAMboys, as they were known in the Philippines, played a key role in Marcos' overthrow. As the Marcos regime grew unpopular during these years, Marcos would be in and out of office due to kidney ailments. Political mismanagement would ensue, culminating with the 1983 assassination of popular oppositionist Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. upon his return from exile in the United States. Ver was accused of having conspired with a certain Rolando Galman who shot Aquino. The Agrava Commission, an independent fact-finding body put up by Ferdinand Marcos, would have Ver be indicted for the crime, but was subsequently acquitted in 1985.
Later life
After the snap elections of 1986, the People Power Revolution came. Ver went into exile in the United States along with his children, and was eventually granted asylum in Germany. Asked why he did not take over the government despite his powers during the last days of Marcos, he said, "the Constitution is supreme, and I must obey it." He would not be heard of for a while despite of allegations against him by the government. Ver wanted to go home to shed light in the assassination of Benigno Aquino, and moved from Germany to Bangkok, to be nearer Manila. The government was apprehensive Ver would incriminate politicians who were back in power. He was denied his right to travel. In November 1998, it was revealed that he was ill and ailing in Bangkok. He died on November 21 and his remains were brought back to the Philippines. He was buried in his hometown of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte with full military honors.
See also
- Rolex 12
- Presidential Security Group / Presidential Security Command [1]
- National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA)
- Sterling Seagrave
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
