Marcos, 72, Dies in Hawaii Exile : Aquino Forbids Return of Body to Philippines

Ferdinand E. Marcos, who ruled the Philippines for two decades at the head of an increasingly corrupt government, died in bitter exile today, more than three years after a popular revolt drove him from his opulent presidential palace. He was 72.

Marcos was driven from office and from his native land in February, 1986, following an army rebellion backed by millions of Filipinos that swept Corazon Aquino, the widow of Marcos’ arch political rival, to power.

Aquino said today she mourns Marcos’ death, but will not allow his body to be brought to his homeland for burial.

Marcos had gone from war hero to despised despot, a man suspected by millions of his impoverished fellow Filipinos of looting their country for his own personal gain.

The death was announced by Ferdinand (Bong Bong) Marcos Jr., who said the ailing leader expired shortly after midnight local time in St. Francis Medical Center. He died of cardiac arrest, officials said.

A tearful Imelda Marcos, who stood by her husband throughout all his political, legal and medical problems, was at his side as well when he died.

Decorated War Veteran

Marcos was once a vigorous man, an expert marksman who was the most-decorated Filipino in World War II, but had been in the Honolulu hospital for nearly nine months with a series of heart, lung and kidney ailments. During the last months he lay in critical condition, unable to speak and often comatose.

On top of his medical problems, a host of legal troubles shadowed Marcos’ final years, stemming largely from allegations that he and his wife looted the Philippines treasury of billions of dollars. Mrs. Marcos, 60, was free on $5-million bail on corruption charges in New York as she watched her husband die.

The United States, long his staunchest ally, withdrew its support after massive fraud in the 1986 presidential election, forcing him to Hawaii.

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said in a statement: “The President and Mrs. Bush were saddened to hear of the death of former President Marcos.

“For over 20 years, Mr. Marcos was the leader of the Philippines, a nation that has been and remains a staunch friend and ally of the United States.

“Mr. Marcos agreed to leave the Philippines at a critical juncture in his nation’s history. His departure permitted the peaceful transition to popular, democratic rule under President Aquino.”

Feels Wrath of Nation

Marcos was driven from power by the wrath of a nation that elected him three times as president--in 1965, 1969 and 1981.

The “people power” revolution climaxed 30 months of unrest sparked by the assassination of his chief rival, Benigno Aquino, who was shot to death in 1983 as he returned from exile in the United States.

Family spokesman Roger Peyuan said Mrs. Marcos was “holding up with great dignity. I could see at one time tears coming out of her eyes.”

He said the family had not decided what to do with the body, but Mrs. Marcos declared earlier she would not permit her husband to be buried in the United States.

Aquino’s government filed suit in Los Angeles in July claiming the couple had amassed a $5-billion fortune through embezzlement, kickbacks from companies doing business in the Philppines and outright theft. The suit sought $50 billion in damages.

U.S. authorities already had charged Marcos in New York court with stealing $103 million from the Philippine treasury and fraudulently borrowing $165 million from New York banks to buy property. A judge, however, later ruled the former president was too ill to stand trial but insisted Mrs. Marcos appear.

Foe of Father Slain

When Marcos was a 21-year-old law student, a political foe of his father was shot to death by a sniper. Marcos was convicted of murder and jailed but while imprisoned became a lawyer, argued his own case before the Supreme Court and won.

He emerged from World War II a hero, but the validity of his 27 medals came into doubt years later when U.S. official reports said he faked his war record and that the guerrilla force he said he led against the Japanese never existed.

After the war, Marcos was elected congressman and then senator. In 1965, he defeated the incumbent to capture the presidency and was at the height of his popularity.

But by 1972, claiming he was “guided by God,” Marcos imposed martial law, saying he had to save the nation from communism. He padlocked the Congress, abolished newspapers and jailed politicians, journalists and suspected rebels.

As his rule grew more and more despotic, he began to lose the support of the United States and since 1986, he effectively has been a pariah to U.S. officials.

The United States declared its support of Aquino and has remained her unswerving defender as she sought to overcome what Marcos helped create--a devastated economy, a communist insurgency and a crisis of confidence between Filipinos and their government.

From his island exile, Marcos sought to wield his wealth and his fading popularity in the Philippines to foment a rebellion against Aquino but never was close to being successful.