I still remember. 1972. September 23rd. What I thought was just another Saturday morning felt strange and eerie instead. There were no newspapers and radio broadcasts, flights were canceled, and many public utilities were shut down. There was only one headline circulating, but they were through the word of mouth of the neighbors: that the president had declared Martial Law.
There would later be whispers on the streets of how people were starting to get arrested without a warrant, and the people grew scared. We would find out that 100 individuals were arrested and detained in Camp Crame. Later in the same day, an estimate of 8,000 people were also arrested, among of which are Senators Benigno Aguino, Jr. and Jose Diokno, who openly fought for the injustices brought by the Marcos administration. The streets grew silent after, for those who dared to oppose the administration were detained, tortured, and even killed for the president feared dissent, and frankly, the truth. All these alarming events happened on the same day.
Two days prior, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. was able to deliver a privilege speech, warning the people of the dangers of Martial Law. This and the cries of the 30,000 people who joined the protest march in Plaza Miranda would soon be the last noise of democracy we heard as time passed and as the world grew darker.
Democracy is alive today, but unjust happenings like media shutdown, warrantless arrests, and killings of those who speak out against the current administration clearly reflect on the day democracy was killed.
The threat of a Communist takeover, political unrest, and violence in Mindanao were used as justifications for the declaration of Martial Law. A day before the proclamation had been publicly announced, the convoy of then-Secretary of Defense Juan Ponce Enrile was ambushed in Wack-Wack. We didn’t know it at the time, of course, but it would later be found out that the whole ambush was staged and was used as an excuse to declare Martial Law, even though there were already reports of Marcos signing the Proclamation as early as September 21. These schemes further proved that Martial Law was used not to bring peace and order but to dictate power.
It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon when we turned on the radio and Press Secretary Francisco Tatad went on air to read the text of Proclamation No.1081. Later that night, at 7:15 in the evening, we watched as the president verified that he had signed the proclamation – meaning that Martial law was now in full effect. He would also later implement a general order granting him special powers. It was the day democracy died, and the day a dictatorship was born.
48 years have passed since then, and I still remember that day. I may have not yet been born that time, but because of the courageous souls who have shared their experiences with young Filipinos like me, I am able to relive this dark chapter of history through their stories. Democracy is alive today, but unjust happenings like media shutdown, warrantless arrests, and killings of those who speak out against the current administration clearly reflect on the day democracy was killed. Let us not wait for that day, the day our nation will falter, to come again. Let us learn from history and never forget.
Sources:
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/infographic-day-marcos-declared-martial-law-sep tember-23-1972/
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/declaration-of-martial-law/ https://www.pressenza.com/2018/09/looking-back-to-those-martial-law-days/ https://martiallawmuseum.ph/magaral/declaration-of-martial-law/ https://rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/probinsyano-remembers-martial-law
Danielle Liwanag | Features staffer
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