up next on a second look, the philippines people, power, revolution. it began 30 years ago this week with the assassination of benino keno and led to the down fall of ferdinand. hello everyone and welcome to a second look. i'm frank somerville. this coming week marks a grim anniversary in the history of a major u.s. ally in the pacific,

the philippines. it was on august 21st, 1953 that benino was gunned downright after he got off a plane after flying back to his home country. many thought president ferdinand blanco orchestrated his killing. here is the report that claude nann brought us on that day nearly 30 years ago. hundreds of akino supporters were waiting at the airport to welcome him home. security appeared to be tight. during those last minutes aboard the plane, akino said he was racing against time. that he must convince demarco to bring democracy back to the philippines. he was wearing a bullet-proof vest. >> my view, we all have to die

sometime. we may die from an assassin's bullet. >> reporter: as exited the plane, security officers escorted akino. moments later the shooting started. the government say it is three officers were escorting akino when an unidentified assassin dressed as a maintenance man pulled out a pistol. the mortally wounded akino was rushed to an army hospital and pronounced dead from a single bullet to his head. there was pandemonium as word of the death spread through the crowd. within hours president marcos issued a strong statement. it's too early to say how his murder is going to affect the

outcome. >> during the confusion, several witnesses aboard the plane said it looked like if the soldiers shot akino. but later the investigate found that the assassin shot akino. >> in february of 1986, lloyd lacuesta traveled there for this look at the campaign and the upcoming vote. >> reporter: it is a country of beauty. a nation of some 7,000 islands, between the south china sea and pacific ocean. english is the common language in a very americanized philippines. it is the heritage of 48 years of american colonial rule. the philippines is the fourth largest english speaking nation in the world and it is the largest roman catholic country in asian. 300 years of spanish rule

catholozised the philippines. fortunately most in the rural areas can still live off the land. but unemployment throughout the country ranges from 26 to 40%. the modern steel and glass, if wall street of southeast asian masked the fact that the philippines has an increasing negative growth rate. investment is dropping, an estimated 11,000 a year are leaving the country a year. >> i'm really so encouraged by the response of the community. >> reporter: for the first time in 20 years, there's a true political campaign for the philippine presidency. ferdinand marcos has remained

entrenched in the palace. first by rewriting law. the opposition calls them cronies who gained their wealth by demarcos favoritism. his health is a subject of constant speculation with some says he suffers from lupus and may be dying. but the 68-year-old marcos is regarded as the most cunning politician in asian. a marcos political rally involves his wife. and usually turns into a concert. the audience appeal may be genuine, but a worker said his

wife was paid 500 pesos, about $5 to attend. the appeal of akino appears to be real. her appeal may be that she is the widow of a martyr akino. but she is proving to be favorite. >> i admit that i have no experience in cheating, stealing, lying, or -- >> akino says she is not a communist but will give amnesty to all rebels that lay guns. >> i dare him to be man enough to face these issues. and may the better woman win.

>> there is a third element in this election, leftist groups, communists included they call for a boycott of the ballot box saying the election is a sham. >> the united states government does not play favorites in philippine elections that is not our business. that is the business of philipinos. lloyd talks to philippine voters on which candidate they support. >> and the event that led to the exit of marcos. look at 'em. living on cloud nine with that u-verse wireless receiver. you see in my day, when my mom was repainting the house, you couldn't just set up a tv in the basement. i mean, come on! nope. we could only watch tv in the rooms that had a tv outlet. yeah if we wanted to watch tv someplace else, we'd have to go to my aunt sally's. have you ever sat on a plastic covered couch? [ kids cheering ]

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welcome back to a second look. tonight the democratic revolution that swept the philippines more than a quarter century ago. it was 1983 when someone gunned down president demarco gunned

down akino. four years later, akino's wife ran against demarco. lloyd lacuesta traveled to the philippines to cover the election. >> reporter: the stench was so bad i began to get nauseated. yet 500 people call this home. they earn about 50pesos a day, $2.50 for such work. it would seem life in such a hell would make these people angry, but apparently they're not. this woman is 48 years old has lived in tango for 48 years and has raised eight children here. she told us most in this slum support president marcos because they want the status quo maintained. >> actually she's not really happy. what they have to do. but what they are worried about if they're going to elect a new

one, they will, they worry they may suffer more. >> reporter: while her husband will vote for marcos, she is going to vote for akino. >> because of the way of living is very expensive. it's getting higher and higher the standard of living. >> reporter: you could argue anything would be better than this standard of living, but these people seem satisfied. >> you will see them that they are really happy isn't it? >> reporter: yeah, why? >> just being our natural thing. it's really nice to look forward for each and every one of us. we're not so serious people. we are really used to poverty actually. >> reporter: just 13 miles south of the slums, but worlds away is forbe's park. behind those walls live the

elite of the philippines. the elite live in million dollars homes. spacious mansioning. -- spacious mansions. the upper crust live here but they have the majority of the wealth. akino is a member of the country's grand old families. she traces her history back to spanish times. her husband is in banking and the movie business. >> 85% of our people now live below the poverty line. a lot of here to for rich people are now what we call ourselves the noble poor. as distinguished from the rich which is the marcos elite. >> reporter: while she admits she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth she says the issues range during this campaign have opened her eyes. >> i've always been sheltered.

right after school i married into a family that was just like my own family. i bore children and although i was always politically conscious because my father was in politics, i didn't really understand the other sector as much as i do now. >> reporter: rofino's sentiments are echoed by many who have corporate offices and are chauffeured to work in her mercedes. they want the economy to improve. he says he is prepared to make the supreme sacrifice. >> to die on the front lines of a picket, of a demonstration, even campaigning. i'm not afraid of dying, if i am to die so be it. once i have made that decision,

money doesn't count. it's the country that counts. >> when we come back on a second look, philipinos take to the streets to support the victory of akino. how people power led to the down fall of marcos.

tonight on a second look, we are revisiting the overthrow of fernandino demarco. first he lost in the ballot box then he lost on the streets. people took to the streets to block his troops as they attempted to enforce his grip on power. here is ktvu's coverage from the days following the election and marco's fall. >> mr. marcos is waiverring control over the military. at least seven army helicopters deflected to the rebels.

this rebel crew loaded up their rockets. then they attacked the government's air base destroying at least one helicopter on the ground leading to the cancellation of international airline flights. >> we have no intention of going abroad, we have no intention of resigning and we will defend to the public to the last breath of our life. and to the last drop of blood in our body. >> reporter: a defiant president grandchildren in attendance talking a short while ago on a still functioning commercial television channel. >> rebel troops moved in on a group of government soldiers held up in a tv transmission tower. from the tower the marcos loyalists could train their sights on the crowd of demonstrators who blocked the access roads to the tv station. some of them scattered when the

shooting began. others acting with incredible bravery stood unarmed in the street and held their ground. praying amidst the gunfire. >> marcos his wife and immediate family were flown to guam. the ailing former ruler had vowed to fight to the last drop of blood but today after anxious phone calls to the u.s. and last ditch effort to share power with akino, marcos became aware that he had only one option and he took it. it brought the streets of the philippines to jubilation. >> as revolutions go this had its fair share of bullets.

outcries through the night. the bullets aimed at people or into the air, no one knew. it was just 12 hours since mrs. akino had herself sworn in as president. she made it by election support and the belated backing of army generals. >> reporter: apart from mrs. akino herself, mrs. akino rise of power comes after the murder of her husband. in her eyes, marcos is responsibility. they took over manila airport

and mr.marcos regime finally gave up control. people power has taken over. they poured through the gates providing resistance into a callus which they regard to the fall of hitler. >> most of the huge philipino community here in the bay area were overjoyed by akino's victory. we were there as they rallied in san francisco. >> reporter: for san francisco's philipino community it was a beautiful day to celebrate a revolution. the mood was giddy, frantic and oh so optimistic. >> are you happy? >> yes, we are. >> are you very happy?

>> yes, we are. >> kori, kori, kori. >> reporter: in the highlight of the celebration a few words from akino, akino's sister and the sister-in-law of the new president of the philippines, korizan akino. she is just back from the philippines. >> it was absolutely fantastic. the 57 days of campaign was grueling, very hard work, but it was worth it. don't you think so? >> today i can say that my brother may now rest in peace. because it was the fruition of an impossible dream. possible after all. >> as for mr. marcos. >> i'm thinking he will go away. but gosh, take him in your

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tonight on a second look, people power and the downfall of ferdinand marcos and wife imelda. in 1990 four years after the marcos family fled, and 10 months after her husband's death, a judge acquitted imelda marcos. she had been accused of spending the money on skyscrapers and art. in 2008 a judge in the philippines acquitted her of similar charges. ferdinand marcos died at the age of 72 he was still in exile

in honolulu when he passed away. in 1993 his body was returned to the philippines and anne mcdermott brought us this report. >> reporter: it's been four years since his death. but at last ferdinand marcos will be buried in his homeland. the land that he was ousted from. and with that the man who ruled the philippines for 20 years, years critics call corrupt traded his presidency for exile in hawaii. but never was marcos shamed in his silence. he continued to meet with the faithful among honolulu's sizable community many of whom keep the faith still. >> one of the best if not the

best president philippine has ever had. >> the philippines, with his ut most. >> reporter: his son ferdinand jr. was present to escort his father's body home. >> in the end, the 20 years that my father was president will be seen for what it is. and that is he built up the nation. >> reporter: authorities fearing his grave could become a rallying point for marcos supporters refused until now. he will be flown home to the home where he was revered and rivaled. >> reporter maria repos posed a question, were the philippines better off with him gone? >> reporter: it's become a national holiday to commemorate

the dramatic moment when hundreds of thousands of philipinos flocked to the streets. it was the people power which overthrew ferdinand marcos and brought akino to power. four years later, 50% of the philipinos live below the poverty line. although the cool attempts have stopped, kidnappings for ransom quadrupled. >> definitely we're better off. the other perspective that maybe people should look at is

if there were no changes what would life be like right now. i think it would be a hell of a lot worse. >> reporter: the cast of power is still very much around except for marcos. his wife imelda returned to run for president but she finished fourth in the four man race. akino retired after a turbulent six year term. she is credited with restoring the institutions of democracy. inasa became the most wanted man in the philippines after leading numerous coo attempts against akino. ramos won the election last may and is knew president of the republic. but the hope that the hundreds of thousands of philipinos has been replaced with cynicism. for many, life is harder today.

for that ramo -- and that's it for this week's second look. i'm frank somerville. we'll see you again next week.

all tomorrow? we had a month and a half. we didn't do anything! so we'll do it tomorrow. when did you last go skiing? about six years ago. you can take the lift ticket off your jacket now. women like skiers. so what? you can't meet anybody. you're going out with susan. yeah, right. see those women over there? i almost dated the tall one. she's in the closet business. closet business? what's the closet business? what is it your business? i'm interested.