1995 in the Philippines

1995 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1995.

Incumbents

President: Fidel Ramos (Lakas) Vice President: Joseph Estrada (NPC) Senate President: Edgardo Angara (until August 28) Neptali Gonzales (starting August 29) House Speaker: Jose de Venecia, Jr. Chief Justice: Andres Narvasa Philippine Congress: 9th Congress of the Philippines (until June 9) 10th Congress of the Philippines (starting July 24)

Events

January January 3 – An overloaded passenger bus crashes into a ravine in Echague, Isabela, killing at least 31 and injuring 36."Philippine bus crash kills 31" UPI. Retrieved April 19, 2021. January 6 – The police discovers what will be called Bojinka plot following a minor fire in an apartment building in Malate, Manila. The failed plot by Islamic militants, later reportedly linked to Al-Qaeda, has planned to assassinate Pope John Paul II in the country and to bomb U.S. airplanes later that month.—"Manila Reports Plot by Muslims To Kill the Pope" The New York Times. January 14, 1995. —"Plot to kill a pope: 'Miracle' saved John Paul II in Manila" Rappler. January 13, 2015. All were retrieved June 27, 2022. —"Al-Qaeda planned to assassinate Pope: report" DPA via The Sydney Morning Herald. November 11, 2002.—"Philippines" CBS News. n.d.'All aforementioned were retrieved June 27, 2022. —"Broad Terror Campaign Is Foiled By Fire in Kitchen, Officials Say" The New York Times. February 12, 1995. —"Bust and Boom" The Washington Post. December 30, 2001. —"Filipino police uncover 1995 leads to Sept. 11 plot" The Christian Science Monitor. February 14, 2002 —"Thanks To Fire, Bojinka Plot Terrorism Plan Revealed, In History January 6, 1995" VOI - Waktunya Merevolusi Pemberitaan. January 6, 2022.Event is also mentioned in the following sources: —"Terrorist Incidents Against U.S. Citizens" United States Department of State Archives. Nov. 1998. —The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon United States.All aforementioned were retrieved June 28, 2022. —"Trial Opens in Alleged Airline Bomb Plot" Los Angeles Times. May 30, 1995. Retrieved June 29, 2022. Abdul Hakim Murad is arrested while Ramzi Yousef escapes. Murad would be extradited later to the United States."Chronology of arrests" (Dec. 31, 1995) Manila Standard, p. 2. Retrieved October 2, 2021."Retracing the steps of a terror suspect" The Washington Post. June 5, 1995. Retrieved October 2, 2021. January 10–15 – World Youth Day 1995. January 12–16 – Second pastoral and state visit of Pope John Paul II in the country, coinciding with the 10th World Youth Day (WYD) and marking the fourth centenary of the Archdiocese of Manila and the Dioceses of Cebu, Caceres and Nueva Segovia. On Jan 15, the Mass he led in Luneta, marking the end of WYD, draws a crowd of an estimated 4-million, the largest gathering at such papal Mass at that time."9 Surprising Facts About Papal Visits To The Philippines" FilipiKnow. Retrieved June 26, 2022.Cable, Honor Blanco. (1995, Dec 30) "1995: Year of prayers, tears and hopes." Manila Standard, pp. 12–13. Retrieved on October 1, 2021.—"Pope John Paul II to visit the Philippines in 1995" UCA News. July 14, 1993. —"Up to 4 Million Turn Out for Pope's Mass in Manila" The New York Times. January 16, 1995. —"JPII's 2nd Apostolic Visit to the Philippines" Totus Tuus–Totus2us. 1995.All were retrieved June 26, 2022.Information about the past visits by Pope John Paul II: —"Pope John Paul II's visits to PH" Inquirer.net. April 26, 2014. Information about all of the official visits: —"In the Know: 3 papal visits in span of 25 years" Inquirer.net. July 30, 2014. —"Looking Back at The Three Catholic Popes Who Have Visited The Philippines" Esquire Magazine (Philippines). March 30, 2018. All were retrieved June 27, 2022.News articles from Manila Standard covering various itineraries and activities in the 5-day visit of Pope John Paul II, including: —Jan. 11: Events a day prior to his arrival. (01-12-1995, p. 3) —Jan. 12: His arrival. (01-13-1995, pp. 2–3, 7) —Jan. 13: Mass in UST. (01-14-1995, pp. 2–3, 28) —Jan. 14: Mass in PICC complex. (01–15–1995, pp. 2–3; see link for the issue of Jan 14, 1995) —Jan. 15: Final public Mass in Luneta, conclusion of World Youth Day. (01–16–1995, pp. 2–3; see link for the issue of Jan 14, 1995) —Jan. 16: His departure. (01–17–1995, pp. 2–3; see link for the issue of Jan 14, 1995)All were Retrieved July 16, 2022. January 13 – A clash between the Philippine Army and some 120 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members in Basilan results in the deaths of 42 extremists and 7 from the government troops; uncovers the terrorist group's existence for the first time since its establishment. Cirilito Sobejana, who led the team, would be awarded the Medal of Valor by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1996.—"Two Soldiers Killed, Eight Wounded in Clash with Muslim Extremists" AP. January 13, 1995. —"Sobejana recalls battle with ASG that earned him Medal of Valor" Philippine News Agency. February 4, 2021. —"Sobejana makes sentimental visit to Basilan before retirement" Philippine News Agency. July 29, 2021. —"AFP Chief revisits famed battleground in Basilan, honors comrades" Armed Forces of the Philippines via Philippine Information Agency. July 30, 2021.All were retrieved June 28, 2022. January 21 – Pasig becomes a highly urbanized city in Metro Manila through ratification of Republic Act 7829.

February Early February – The Philippine Navy discovers ships and structures being built, all by the Chinese, in Mischief Reef (Panganiban Reef) in the Spratly Archipelago (Kalayaan Island Group), South China Sea off Palawan; such occupation since the previous year causes the Government to take legal diplomatic actions against China and further tensions between two countries, especially in May when two Chinese ships will block that of the Department of National Defense attempting to approach the area."#Journeyto30" by Epi Fabonan III, Philstar.com: (1995) "Reefs of mischief" March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2018.—"Manila Sees China Threat On Coral Reef" The New York Times. Feb 19, 1995. —"Implications for the Philippines, China, and the United States" (PDF) United States Army War College 1996.—"Mischief Reef" Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative.—"China's mischief: Expansion, reclamation" Inquirer.net. July 2, 2015.—(Video) "Spratly Islands: China/Philippines 'incident'" AP Archive (via YouTube).All were Retrieved January 31, 2022. February 4 – Makati becomes a highly urbanized city through ratification of Republic Act 7854.

March March 8 – Former Antique assemblyman Arturo Pacificador, who have been implicated in the 1984 Sibalom massacre and the 1986 assassination of former provincial governor Evelio Javier, surrenders to the authorities. March 9 – The daughter of Alex Bartolome reports him to the police for raping her during the previous year and a half, leading to his conviction and execution in January 2000. He was the last prisoner to be executed by the Philippines. March 14 – In a highly publicized trial, the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC), in its decision dated Mar 11, convicts former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez and six of his men for the deaths of two University of the Philippines Los Baños students in 1993, sentencing them to reclusión perpetua.For the verdict:—"Mayor Convicted Of Rape And Murder" Associated Press. March 14, 1995.For the details of the case: —"G.R. No. 121039-45" Supreme Court E-Library. January 25, 1999. —"'A plot hatched in hell': Timeline of the Gomez-Sarmenta murder case" ABS-CBN News. August 22, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2022. —""Hatched in Hell": The Gruesome Rape-Slay of Mary Eileen Sarmenta" Esquire (Philippines). August 23, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2022.Case is also mentioned:—"The heinous crimes of ex-Mayor Antonio Sanchez, who may soon be freed" CNN Philippines. August 22, 2019. —"Good behavior? Prison violations, murder convictions mar Sanchez's record" Philstar.com. August 22, 2019.—"Philippine ex-mayor serving 360 years in jail for rape and murder may walk free" South China Morning Post. August 21, 2019.Event is also mentioned: —"Convict and former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez is dead, says prisons bureau" Coconuts Manila (Link) via Yahoo! News (Link). March 27, 2021.Unless otherwise stated, all were retrieved June 30, 2022. March 17 – Flor Contemplacion, a household worker convicted of murder by the High Court of Singapore in 1994, is executed by hanging, causing diplomatic tensions between the Philippines and Singapore."Flor Contemplacion" eResources–Singapore Infopedia. Retrieved March 30, 2022. —"Singapore Refuses to Stay Filipino Woman's Execution" Associated Press. March 16, 1995. —"The Crime of Flor Contemplacion" The Baltimore Sun. March 26, 1995. —"The Killing of Flor Contemplacion" Los Angeles Times. April 13, 1995. —"A Death in the Family" Asiaweek. Dec. 1995.—"Flor Contemplacion - a diplomatic incident" Capital Punishment U.K. n.d. —"Domestic Violence" Socialist Review. Sept. 1995.All aforementioned were retrieved June 26, 2022.

April April 2 - SM Southmall opens as the fifth SM mall in the Philippines and the first SM mall in Las Piñas and southern Metro Manila. April 4 – Some 200 heavily armed men, ASG members and Moro National Liberation Front renegades, raid Ipil town, then part of Zamboanga del Sur; set afire and rob the town center; kill 53 people, with five reportedly from the government.—"Muslim Rebels Kill Scores In Philippines" The New York Times. April 5, 1995.—(Opinion) "How easily we forget what the Abus and MILF can do: Remember Ipil?" Philstar.com. March 6, 2002.All were retrieved June 26, 2022.News articles from Manila Standard: —"Bandits torch Zambo town; 100 killed" (04–05–1995) p. 3. —"Troops scour bandits lairs" (June 4, 1995) pp. 2–3. (See link for the issue of May 4, 1995)All aforementioned were Retrieved July 16, 2022. The bandits later take about 52 civilians hostage as they retreat; by mid-April, they would reportedly kill 20 of them in the municipalities of Siocon, R.T. Lim, and Tungawan; 32 would escape."Abu kills cop in new clash. Hostilities spread to other Mindanao Islands" Today (via World History Archives, Hartford Web Publishing). April 16, 1995. Retrieved June 27, 2022"Mindanao priests condemn massacre of hostages by Ipil terrorists" UCA News. April 23, 1995. Retrieved June 26, 2022. —Saavedra, Rudy. (Apr. 18, 1995) "Abu Sayyaf men execute 14 hostages" Manila Standard, p. 3. —For related stories: "Ipil, April 4, 1995" Steven WarRan Research.All aforementioned were retrieved June 27, 2022. April 7 – Following the Ipil raid, battles between combined government forces and ASG gunmen in Siocon and Roseller T. Lim reportedly kill 12 extremists in both encounters, as well as three militiamen and 5 civilian hostages in Siocon."Running Battles Reported In Hills, Civilians Flee Fighting" Associated Press. April 7, 1995. Retrieved June 27, 2022. April 30 – President Ramos inaugurates the opening of the 722-million-peso Subic International Airport (formerly a United States military base). This indicates growth after the removal of military bases in the country.

May May 8: National legislative and local elections are held. Winning the most seats in the House of Representatives is the administration party Lakas–NUCD–UMDP, in the Senate is their national coalition with the oppositionist LDP.Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. United States Department of State. 1996. —See the full report (Philippines) Retrieved July 4, 2022. —See pp. 697–708 of the book published by the United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Retrieved June 30, 2022."Electoral Politics in the Philippines" (PDF) Bibliothek der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Retrieved July 29, 2022.