Key facts
- David Briscoe, an Associated Press journalist known for his coverage of the Philippines' democratic revolution, died at 82.
- Briscoe was the AP bureau chief in Manila from 1980, chronicling the end of Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship.
- He reported on the assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr. and the subsequent People Power Revolution.
- Briscoe recalled iconic images of the revolution, including nuns kneeling in front of tanks.
- He had a long career with the AP, also reporting from Utah, Washington, and Hawaii.
- Briscoe's family plans to scatter his ashes in the Pacific Ocean, returning him to the Philippines.
David Briscoe, an Associated Press journalist renowned for his reporting on the Philippines' transition from authoritarian rule to democracy, has died at the age of 82. His wife, Leonor Briscoe, confirmed his death on Sunday at an assisted living facility in Kapolei, Hawaii, following a diagnosis of amyloidosis in April.
Briscoe's career spanned decades and continents, but his most significant work was as the AP's bureau chief in Manila, a role he held from 1980. During this time, he meticulously documented the final years of Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship, the political turmoil following the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr., and the subsequent People Power Revolution.
He recalled vivid images from the revolution, such as "nuns kneeling in front of military tanks" and "soldiers and civilians crying in each other’s arms," describing the event as the most significant he expected to cover in his life.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Briscoe developed an early interest in journalism at the University of Utah. After serving in the Peace Corps in the Philippines, he returned to the U.S. and worked in Salt Lake City before being offered the opportunity to return to Manila as bureau chief.
Following his six-year tenure in the Philippines, Briscoe moved to Washington in 1986, focusing on international affairs, and later served as bureau chief in Honolulu from 2001 until his retirement in 2009. He cherished his time in the Philippines, referring to it as his adopted home and the place where he met his wife.