
His household introduced his dying “with profound unhappiness” however didn’t present different particulars in a quick assertion that requested for privateness.
One in every of his long-time aides, Norman Legaspi, informed the Related Press Mr Ramos had been out and in of hospital lately attributable to a coronary heart situation and had suffered from dementia.
Former Philippine president Fidel Valdez Ramos, a US-trained ex-general who noticed motion within the Korean and Vietnam wars and performed a key position in a 1986 pro-democracy rebellion that ousted a dictator, has died on the age of 94.
A few of Mr Ramos’s kin have been with him when he died on Sunday on the Makati Medical Centre in Manila, Mr Legaspi mentioned, including the household would subject a press release on his dying later.
“He was an icon. We misplaced a hero and I misplaced a father,” mentioned Mr Legaspi, a retired Philippine air power official who served as a key aide to Mr Ramos for about 15 years.
Press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles mentioned: “He leaves behind a vibrant legacy and a safe place in historical past for his participation within the nice modifications of our nation, each as navy officer and chief government.”
The US, the EU and different overseas governments expressed their condolences. “His contributions to the US-Philippines bilateral relationship and advancing our shared targets of peace and democracy will all the time be remembered,” the US embassy in Manila mentioned.
Cigar-smoking Mr Ramos, recognized for his visionary “win-win” outlook, consideration to element, a thumbs-up signal and agency handshake, served as president from 1992 to 1998, succeeding the democracy figurehead Corazon Aquino.
She was swept into the presidency in 1986 after an army-backed and largely peaceable Folks Energy revolt toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was additionally a cousin of Mr Ramos.
The rebellion, which grew to become a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide, got here after Mr Ramos, the pinnacle of the Philippine Constabulary, and defence secretary Juan Ponce Enrile withdrew their help from Marcos after a failed coup.
Roman Catholic Cardinal Jaime Sin then summoned Filipinos to encompass and protect the navy and constabulary camps within the capital area the place the defectors and their forces dug in, sparking essential authorities defections that ultimately drove Marcos, his household and cronies to US exile.
After Ms Aquino rose to the presidency, Mr Ramos grew to become the navy chief of workers and later defence secretary, efficiently defending her from a number of violent coup makes an attempt.
He gained the 1992 presidential elections and have become the largely Roman Catholic nation’s first Protestant president.
His time period was marked by main reforms and makes an attempt to dismantle telecommunications and different enterprise monopolies that triggered a uncommon financial increase, bolstered the picture of the impoverished south-east Asian nation and drew reward from enterprise leaders and the worldwide group.
His calm bearing in instances of crises earned him the moniker Regular Eddie.