Martial Law 39 years ago

Last Wednesday (September 21, 2011) the Filipino nation once again remembered the greatest historical tragedy in our country. A tragedy not caused by fat men who wear long vestments (that were merely used as costumes to convert the pagan archipelago) with chastity belts or also known as cinctures (also available as the ‘chase the “tt” belts) that were tied around their hypocritical stomachs. Nor was it caused by white skinned sons of bitches, who boldly dominated our small republic and named as their state. It was caused by our own fellow Filipino, the late Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, the President-Dictator of the Republic of the Philippines (1965-1986).

For history’s sake, it was September 23, 1972 when a broadcasted speech of the dictator appeared on national television in which he officially decreed the effectiveness of Presidential Decree No. 1081 that rules that the entire Philippines is placed under martial law. Marcos’ primary basis for his proclamation of martial law was that the suspension of writ of habeas corpus was not enough to stop the pursuing violence caused by militants who are against his rule. One of which was the Plaza Miranda Bombing during a Liberal Party campaign rally on August 21, 1972.

This stage in history is considered as the darkest page in our own democratic Philippines. Many were put to jail, including the venerable Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. who was one of the dictator’s biggest political opponent. Many student-activists from the University of the Philippines (UP) and from the Philippine College of Commerce (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines or PUP) were arrested due to their strong allegiance with the communist forces.

According to my facebook friend who commented on my wall post, being an activist during those days was thoroughly hard. When FM declared martial law, they were in Bulacan, hiding from the military forces who were haunting them. There were members of the PCC student council who were lost, and even at present are. One of them was his (my fb friend’s) best friend, Romy Banaga, student activist and president of the PCC student council. Another recollection came from my mom’s fellow worker, whose sibling is still lost from the hands of the military up to this date.

My intuition tells me that they were either killed by FM’s forces or is still now breathing and fighting in the mountains as members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

It was 39 years ago, almost four decades.

We still exist in its evil spell.

We still live beside its shadow.

But, do we even remember it?

Do we at least care for it?

The democracy-the fresh air-the sunlight we enjoy today were the fruits of those student activists and heroes who fought to defend our raped and abused freedom.

A last note: The dictator now exists in either heaven (sana) or hell (huwag naman po). He’s dead. But as I see our nationhood, we ourselves are not fully aware (especially us the young ones) of our own defects as an individual and as a country.

We (the Filipino people) are now the Marcosistic (or even Imeldific) dictators of our own selves.

MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS! MABUHAY ANG KALAYAAN!