SATIRE: The last time UP won a UAAP championship ‘a dictator fell’

Claim: Following the University of the Philippines’ (UP) UAAP Final Four win against Adamson University on Wednesday, November 28, social media users began to say that the last time UP won a championship “a dictator fell.”

The posts implied that former president Ferdinand Marcos, who was in power for 21 years, was deposed as president after UP’s win.

Since that’s what happened in the past, they said, UP fans suggested to their finals rivals, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) to let them win. “Just remember Ateneo, the last time UP won, a dictator fell. You might want to let history repeat itself this time,” wrote a Facebook user.

ADMU fans joined in on the joke too, and some social media users were even cheering for them to work together to make the UP win happen.

Rating: SATIRE – we all know the claim is a joke being made in good fun. We couldn’t help but wonder though – was Marcos really ousted during the last UAAP season that UP won the men’s basketball championship?

Here are the facts: When UP won the UAAP men’s basketball championship in 1986, Marcos was no longer president.

UAAP seasons are held over the course of one school year, with the men’s basketball competition held during the first half of the year. In the past, a school year would start in June and end in March of the following year.

The People Power Revolution occurred from February 22 to 25, 1986, and Marcos fled the Philippines on February 25, 1986. When the dictator was ousted, the UAAP was still on Season 48 (school year 1985-86) and University of the East was the reigning UAAP men’s basketball champion.

The last time UP won a UAAP men’s basketball championship was on October 25, 1986, during Season 49 or school year 1986-87. By this time, Cory Aquino was already president. – Vernise L. Tantuco/Rappler

Editor’s note: This article previously stated that UP last won the UAAP men’s basketball championship on October 27, 1986. This has been corrected.