Reform the Armed Forces Movement

From being an apolitical and professional organization, the AFP during the Marcos administration became highly politicized, and promotions were given not through merit but through affiliation or patronage.[1] This led to the formation of various cabals in the Armed Forces, including the Diablo Squad which would later be named the Guardian Brotherhood, Inc., and the Reform the Armed Forces Movement.[1]

The Reform the Armed Forces Movement was founded on July 23, 1982[2] by a group of junior military officers who were disgruntled by the patronage politics and corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines.[3] Its stated goal was to "reform the service, foster nationalism and patriotism, and fight against corruption and criminal activities." As well as tackle the "problem of favoritism, incompetence, and corruption in senior leadership."[4]

Three members of the Philippine Military Academy Matatag Class of 1971, Gregorio Honasan, Victor Batac, and Eduardo Kapunan, were the key founders of the group, and most of its members came from the Class of 1971. But there were also members from other classes who were part of the founders of RAM which include Former Navy Capt. Proceso Maligalig from Class of 1969 and Ret. Brigadier General Danilo Lim from Class of 1978. The first officers to join RAM were mostly members of the PMA classes 1971 through 1984 - soldiers who had spent their careers during the Martial Law era and the "Bagong Lipunan" era which followed it, all under the command of Ferdinand Marcos as Commander in Chief.[1]

RAM was placed under the leadership of the Ministry of National Defense security and intelligence force, then commanded by then Army Colonel Gregorio Honasan, who was also then the chief security officer of then-Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, who gave the blessing in forming the organization because Enrile also wanted reforms in the military.

RAM played a major role in the ouster of Ferdinand E. Marcos during the first EDSA People Power Revolution when they attempted to bomb Malacañang Palace in February 1986. However, they failed and instead supported the civilian-led events at EDSA, which would eventually put Cory Aquino in the place of Marcos.[5][6]

The following years remained hostile for the Philippines, a series of bloody coup attempts led by then-Col. Gregorio Honasan of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, involved thousands of renegade troops, including elite units from the army and marines, in a coordinated series of attacks on Malacanang and several major military camps in Manila and surrounding provinces, including Sangley and Villamor Air Base, using the T-28 aircraft for aerial assaults. President Corazon Aquino found it necessary to request United States support to put down the uprising. As a result, a large U.S. special operations force was formed and named Operation Classic Resolve, as USAF F-4 fighter aircraft stationed at Clark Air Base patrolled above rebel air bases, and two aircraft carriers were positioned off the Philippines. The U.S. operation soon caused the coup to collapse. Additional U.S. forces were then sent to secure the American embassy in Manila. The military uprisings resulted in an estimated US$1.5 billion loss to the Philippine economy.[7]

In 1990, RAM cut its ties with the SFP (Soldiers of the Filipino People), and changed its name to Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (Revolutionary Nationalist Alliance).[8]

After the term of Corazon Aquino ended, peace talks with the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos led to the release of Proclamation No. 723 in May 1996, which offered amnesty to members of RAM-SFP-YOU who participated in the coups of the 1980s.[9] Not all the members availed of this, however, and were instead given amnesty at various later dates.[9][10]

In 2021, Antipolo Regional Trial Court Branch 97 convicted three members of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement[11] for the murder of labor leader Rolando Olalia and union worker Leonor Alay-ay.[12] Former RAM officers Fernando Casanova, Dennis Jabatan, and Desiderio Perez[13] were convicted on two counts of murder and sentenced to up to 40 years imprisonment, without eligibility for parole.[11] However, ten other accused RAM members were not included in the conviction.[11]

• Armed Forces of the Philippines
• People Power Revolution
• 1989 Philippine coup attempt
• Magdalo (mutineers)
• List of revolutions and rebellions
• Coup d'état

• PMA Matatag Class 1971
• The Ram Boys: Where are they now?