I remember the day martial law came into effect. It was a Saturday. I was still in elementary school in Manila, and I used to watch cartoons on TV on Saturdays. One TV channel aired cartoons all day – Popeye, Sinbad the Sailor, Harvey Comics, Gumby and others. But that fateful day, there was nothing on television. Only static. I changed the channel. Nothing. I hit the TV and thought there was something wrong with the reception. Nevertheless, only statically. After 3 months since the imposition of the war regime, many human rights violations have been recorded by independent human rights organizations.
These violations, caused by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, included the bombing of Lumad schools, the food blockade against Lumad communities that forced the Lumads to starve to death and move away from their ancestral lands, the conquest of ancestral lands of indigenous Lumads, the killing of suspected Lumads who are believed to be part of the NPA despite the lack of concrete investigation. the censorship of various media outlets in Lumad communities and the assassination of many Lumad leaders, which dealt a blow to Lumad morality. President Rodrigo Duterte himself expressed his approval of the bombing of Lumad schools in a public speech. [103] [104] On December 4, 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo officially placed Maguindanao province under martial law by Proclamation No. 1959, suspending the privilege of habeas corpus. [94] Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said this step was taken to prevent the escalation of “lawless” violence in the province and pave the way for the swift arrest of the massacre suspects. [95] [96] Following the statement, authorities searched a warehouse belonging to Andal Ampatuan Jr. [97] The raid resulted in the seizure of more than 330,000 rounds of 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition, a Humvee, and an improvised armored vehicle.
Twenty militiamen were arrested at the scene. Special Forces Captain James Nicolas was able to retrieve more powerful firearms and ammunition after the incident. [98] The state of war in Maguindanao was lifted on December 13, 2009. Loretta Ann Rosales, a history teacher and human rights activist, recalls being tortured by the police and military during martial law. As a general rule, the imposition of martial law is accompanied by curfews, suspension of civil law, civil liberties, habeas corpus, and the application or extension of military law or military justice to civilians. However, during Marco`s war, only the habeas corpus mandate was suspended. Civilian and military courts are practically the same thing. Civilians who defy martial law can be tried before military courts (court martial). According to the 1986 edition of the RR Philippine Almanac: Book of Facts, martial law prevailed in Nueva Ecija on January 7, 1946.
When Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines, the specific events he cited to justify his decision were the communist insurgency and the ambush of his defense minister, Juan Ponce Enrile, outside the Wack-Wack subdivision. Both motives, of course, fall within the realm of imminent threat required by the imposition of martial law. Six hours after Enrile`s alleged assassination and citing more than 15 bombings, chaos and lawlessness, Marcos issued Proclamation No. 1081, which imposed and imposed martial law throughout the country. [50] By imposing martial law, Marcos suspended the habeas corpus mandate and the 1935 constitution, dissolved Congress and locked the doors of Batasang Pambansa, and assumed legislative and executive power. Proclamation No. 1081 was dated September 21, 1972, but was actually signed on September 17. The official announcement or proclamation of the proclamation did not take place until half-past seven in the evening of September 23, proving the plan to declare martial law before the alleged ambush on Enrile. He had also ordered his military collaborators to start arresting his political opponents about twenty-two hours before the announcement and to close all media and retail stores (fashion, food, religion, sports). [59] It also happened 50 years — almost to the day — after Marcos senior placed his country under martial law, ushering in an infamous 14-year period in which thousands were killed, tortured, and imprisoned. I was already in high school – martial law was still in effect – when I realized that cartoons from my childhood weren`t the only things stolen by martial law.
My right to decide how to spend my Saturdays was not the only right wrested from the rule of one man supported by Marcos` army. And I wasn`t the only one whose rights were killed when martial law was imposed. It was indeed the culmination of a long period of preparation: already on May 17, 1969, Marcos alluded to the declaration of martial law when addressing the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association: Because of his gratuitous disregard for human rights, Marcos` martial law was mentioned in the same breath as extrajudicial executions (known in the Philippines as rescue). Arrest and detention, torture and enforced disappearances. Amnesty International reported that between 1972 and 1981, approximately 3,240 people were killed, 34,000 tortured, 70,000 imprisoned and more than 1,600 disappeared. In 1970, student activism intensified and many student activists joined communist movements. Kabataang Makabayan (Patriotic Youth or KM), a political organization founded by José María Sison to be a national extension of the University of the Philippines Student Cultural Association,[32][33] conducted study sessions on Marxism-Leninism and intensified the deployment of urban activists in rural areas to prepare for people`s war. [34] [35] The line between left-wing militants and communists became increasingly blurred as a considerable number of militants advanced in KM joined the Communist Party, also founded by Sison. [34] Earlier, during the 1969 election campaign, students promoted a mock campaign called the Dante Movement for the President, which likely referred to the founder of the New People`s Army, Bernabe “Kumander Dante” Buscayno. [36] KM members protested in front of Congress and threw a coffin, stuffed alligator, and stones at Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos after his State of the Union address. At the presidential palace, the activists broke down the door with a fire truck, and when the door broke and gave way, the activists burst into the palace compound and threw stones, pillboxes and Molotov cocktails.
In front of the U.S. Embassy, protesters vandalized, burned, and damaged the embassy lobby, provoking a fierce protest from the U.S. ambassador. [34] [36] [37] KM protests ranged from 50,000 to 100,000 per weekly mass action. [34] After the January 1970 riots, at least two activists were confirmed dead and several were injured by police. Manila Mayor at the time, Antonio Villegas, praised the Manila Police District for its “exemplary behavior and courage” and protecting the first couple long after they left. The activists` deaths were picked up by the López-controlled Manila Times and the Manila Chronicle, blaming Marcos and adding fire to the weekly protests. [38] The students declared a week-long boycott of classes and instead gathered to hold protest rallies. [36] On January 2, 1942, after the capture of Manila, the commander-in-chief of the imperial forces, Lieutenant.