Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos dies

Fidel Ramos.

archival - Reuters

Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos, who ruled the Southeast Asian country from 1992 to 1998, died yesterday at the age of 94, according to the Rappler website, citing his niece.

Many hailed Ramos, who held senior security positions before becoming president, as the hero of the 1986 popular uprising that toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the father of the newly elected Philippine leader of the same name.

Ramos served as defense minister in the first post-dictator government led by Corazon Aquino.

Ramos also won the presidency in 1992 - the first election under the current constitution - and is credited with leading the economy into a period of rapid growth until the 1997 financial crisis in Southeast Asia.

Ramos was an army officer who gained fame in 1986 when he defected with then-Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enril to Marcos Sr., whom they accused of rigging elections that year to stay in power.

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