President. Her husband, Benigno Aquino, devoted his life to opposing the massively corrupt dictator of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos. He was imprisoned, exiled, allowed to return, but then assassinated as he stepped off the plane at Manila Airport. His widow Cory, who had no experience in politics, even more courageously assumed the leadership of the anti-Marcos movement, claimed election to the presidency in 1986 despite massive vote fraud, and soon drove Marcos and his proverbially greedy wife Imelda out of the country.