I AM a victim of Martial Law. I don’t forget the Philippine Constabulary. I don’t forget Col. Marino Filart, the provincial chief of the Philippine Constabulary in Negros Occidental. I don’t forget that many officers of the college supreme student councils in Bacolod suffered because of Martial Law
Strong man President Ferdinand E. Marcos was president of the Philippines from December 30, 1965 up to February 25, 1986 (won reelection in 1969, declared martial law in 1972, changed the constitution in 1973, “won” a six-year term in the 1981 elections, and was ousted and exiled in 1986). The Marcos Presidency is anchored in his 1973 Constitution. It is fun and stupidity but we have to know his powers as president.
The President shall be commander-in-chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and, whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion, insurrection, or rebellion. In case of invasion, insurrection on rebellion, or imminent danger thereof, when the public safety requires it, he may suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law.
The “imminent danger thereof” provision is very dangerous. It is possible that the President will create a scenario that would seem to indicate that there is an imminent danger of invasion or rebellion in the country, therefore justifying his proclamation of martial law. (This “imminent danger” provision was deleted in 1987 Cory Constitution.)
In 1972, there was a famous road show political scenario. The car of Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile was ambushed (the PM was inside the car or outside the car depending on the script). The car was riddled with bullets. The gunmen were also riding in another car. Enrile was on his way home (from official or unofficial business).
That very night, Marcos signed the Martial Law decree. He blamed the Communist for attacking Enrile (just like in the movie of Harrison Ford) Marcos said that it was a clear sign that a state of rebellion existed in the Philippines. Years later, Enrile made a public confession that it was just for a show. He ordered his men to riddle his car with bullets so that Marcos could justify the proclamation of martial law.
Under the Marcos Rule, there was government overspending. There was the unprecedented extent of graft and corruption in the Philippine government. According to Transparency International, Marcos was the second most corrupt head of state in the whole world in the past two decades, having allegedly embezzled an estimated US$ 5-10 billion while in power.
There was nepotism and cronyism. He appointed his relations and close friends to positions of power in the government. Here in Negros, he anointed a sugar czar who siphoned the money, sweat, tears, and blood of the sugar industry that led to the destruction of the Sugar Producers’ Cooperative Marketing Association. Marcos formed his alliances and the members became his tamed puppies. Many of them are still alive.
Marcos allowed crony capitalism. It is a practice of favoritism or partiality in distributing legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, etc. he distributed these to his friends and relatives in all sectors… tobacco, coconut, mining, rice, sugar, logging, maritime, fishing, and many more.
There were human rights violations. The Filipinos have experienced widespread poverty, social inequity, and rural stagnation. There was rising criminality in all regions and the agrarian unrest in Luzon was worst. Labor strikes became frequent and student activism was violent, those were the days when scholars and bookworms became street parliamentarians.
We saw the revival of communist insurgency in the countryside. We experienced the emergence of communist-inspired violence in urban center. We used to call the “red scare” perpetuated by the Communist Party of the Philippines and its military arm, the New People’s Army. In Mindanao, we have the secessionist movement by the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front… and there were more.
President Ferdinand Marcos has been long dead. His corpse (wax model) became a tourist attraction (as I see it) in his home province. Our President Digong would want to bury him in the Libingan ng mga Bayani because he was once a soldier and a president of the Republic of the Philippines. Do we agree or disagree? Let’s divide the house. I don’t need to explain my vote.