History
The Liberal Party (LP) was founded on 19 January 1946 by Manuel Roxas, the first President of the Third Philippine Republic. It was formed by Pres. Roxas from what was once the “Liberal Wing” of the old Nacionalista Party. Two more Presidents of the Philippines elected into office came from the LP: Elpidio Quirino and the redoubtable Diosdado Macapagal. Two other presidents came from the ranks of the LP, being former members of the Party that choose to follow a different path and joined the Nacionalistas: Ramon Magsaysay, and Ferdinand Marcos.
During the days leading to Martial Rule, Marcos would find his old party as a potent roadblock to his quest for one-man rule. Led by Ninoy Aquino, Gerry Roxas and Jovito Salonga, the LP would time and again hound the would-be dictator on issues like Human Rights and the curtailment of Freedoms. Not even the declaration of Martial Law silenced the LP, and it continued to fight the dictatorship despite the costs. Many of its leaders and members would be prosecuted and even killed during this time.
In recent times, the LP was instrumental in ending more than half-a-century of US Military presence in the Philippines with its campaign in the Senate of 1991 to reject a new RP-US Bases Treaty. This ironically cost the Party dearly, losing for it the Elections of 1992. In 2000, it again showed its mettle by standing against the corruption of the Joseph Estrada Administration, actively supporting the Resign-Impeach-Oust initiatives that led to People Power II.
The Liberal Party regained new influence after its nomination of then-Senator Benigno Aquino III, the son of former President Cory Aquino, after the latter's death and the massive outpouring of sympathy for the Aquino family. Even as the party earlier nominated Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas for president, Roxas chose to give way to Aquino and ran for vice president instead. The party then, during the fierce campaign battle that followed, was able to field new members from then-ruling party Lakas Kampi CMD, in order to become the largest minority party in Congress.
Read more about this topic: Liberal Party (Philippines)
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