Introduction

The undesirable happenings during the reign of Ferdinand Marcos were a worst
nightmare to every Filipino who witnessed its cruelty and vindictiveness. Martial law
was never an answer to the problem of the country during that time. But, by the power
vested to Marcos, martial law was implemented. Ferdinand Marcos ruled the
Philippines, for more than 20 years (Dec. 30, 1965 – Feb. 25, 1986. He promised to
make the nation great again in his inaugural speech of December 30, 1965. His political
venture began with his election to the House of Representatives in 1949 as a
Congressman from Ilocos. He became Senate President in 1963. He was married to
Imelda Romualdez from Leyte. He ran for President as Nacionalista in 1965 election
and won over Macapagal. Nacionalista Party leader Ferdinand Marcos dominated the
political scene of the Philippines for two decades after his election to the presidency in
1965. During his first term, Marcos initiated ambitious public works projects that
improved the general quality of life while providing generous pork-barrel benefits for his
friends. Marcos perceived that his promised land reform program would alienate the
politically all-powerful landowner elite, and thus it was never forcefully implemented. He
lobbied strenuously for economic and military aid from the United States while resisting
significant involvement in the Second Indochina War (1954–75). In his first term Marcos
tried to stabilize the financial position of the government through an intensified tax
collection. He also borrowed heavily from international financing institutions to support a
large-scale infrastructure works projects were built. He improved agricultural production
to make the country self-sufficient in food, especially in rice.
Marcos also tried to strengthen the foreign relations of the Philippines. He hosted a
seven-nation summit conference on the crisis in South Vietnam in October, 1966. In
support for the U.S. military efforts in South Vietnam, he agreed to send Filipino troops
to that war zone.
 In November 1969 Ferdinand Marcos and Fernando Lopez were re-elected.
They defeated the Liberal Party ticket of Sergio Osmeña, Jr. and Senator Genaro
Magsaysay. In winning the election, Marcos achieved the political distinction of being
the first President of the Republic to be re-elected. The most important developments
during the second term of Marcos were the following: The 1971 Constitutional
Convention The Congress of the Philippines called for a Constitutional Convention on
June 1, 1971 to review and rewrite the 1935 Constitution. Three-hundred twenty
delegates were elected. The convention was headed first by former President Carlos P.
Garcia and later by former President Diosdado Macapagal. The Convention's image
was tarnished by scandals which included the bribing of some delegates to make them
"vote" against a proposal to prohibit Marcos from continuing in power under a new
constitution. This scandal was exposed by Delegate Eduardo Quintero. For exposing
the bribery attempt, Quintero found himself harassed by the government. We can’t deny
the fact that Marcos has a lot of contribution in the economy and Government of the
Philippines, but we can also determine that he is not the best president of the
Philippines because of his cruelty.
Main Discussion

On September 21, 1972, Marcos declared Martial Law. This marked the
beginning of the Marcos dictatorship. Proclamation 1081 placed the entire country
under the military. It was signed on September 21, 1972 and announced to the nation in
the evening of September 23, 1972. His main reason for declaring Martial Law as "to
save the Republic" and "to reform society". He explained that the growing violence in
the nation, caused by the leftists and the rightists elements had come to certain
magnitude that required martial law. Marcos declared martial law on September 21,
1972, and did not lift it until January 17, 1981.

During this time, he called for self-sacrifice and an end to the old society.
However, in the “New Society” Marcos’s cronies and his wife, former movie actress
Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, wilfully engaged in rampant corruption. With her husband’s
support, Imelda Marcos built her own power base. She became governor of
Metropolitan Manila and minister of human settlements. The previously nonpolitical
armed forces became highly politicized, with high-ranking positions being given to
Marcos loyalists. In 1979 the United States reaffirmed Philippine sovereignty over U.S.
military bases and continued to provide military and economic aid to the Marcos regime.
When martial law was lifted in 1981 and a “New Republic” proclaimed, little had actually
changed, and Marcos easily won reelection.It was believed that the true reason why
Marcos declared martial was to perpetuate his rule over the Philippines. The 1935
Constitution limited the term of the President to no more than eight consecutive years in
office. Marcos extended the period of Martial Law beyond the end of his term in 1973.
 He abolished the Congress of the Philippines and over its legislative powers.
Thus, Marcos became a one-man ruler, a dictator. Marcos described his martial law
government as “constitutional authoritarianism”. Perhaps the constitution did not say
that martial law will last, it’s the president personal decision. Although the courts
remained in the judiciary, the judges of all courts, from the Supreme Court down to the
lowest courts, became "casuals". Their stay in office depended on the wishes of the
dictator.

Under the martial law Marcos disregarded the constitution. For instance, he
violated the provision which guaranteed the Bill of Rights (Article III). Upon his orders,
the military picked up and detained thousands of Filipinos suspected of subversion.
Among them were his critics and political opponents namely Senator Benigno S.
Aquino, Jr., Francisco "Soc"Rodrigo, Jose W. Diokno and Jovita R. Salonga. Hundreds
of detainees were tortured by their captors. Some disappeared and were never found
again. As a result of the foregoing measured, the crime rate in the country was reduced
significantly. People became law-abiding. But these good gains did not last long. After a
year of martial law, crime rates started to soar. By the time Marcos was removed from
power, the peace and order situation in the country had become worse.

This communist insurgency problem did not stop when Marcos declared Martial
law. A government report in 1986 showed that the NPAs already numbered over 16,000
heavily-armed guerillas. The NPAs waged a vigorous war against government forces
They staged ambuscades and engaged in terrorist activities such as assassination of
local officials who were known to be engaged in corrupt activities. The NPA killer
squads were called Sparrow Units. They were feared in the areas under their control.
 They also imposed tax to their terrorist. To fight the growing NPA threat, Marcos
increased the armed forces to over 200,000 men. He also organized Civilian Home
Defense Forces in the rural areas threatened by the NPAs . Several NPA leaders were
captured like Jose Ma. Sison, alleged founder of the communist Party in the Philippines;
Bernabe Buscayno, the NPA chief, and Victor Corpus, a renegade PC lieutenant.
The rampant violation of human rights of the people in the rural areas suspected of
being NPA sympathizers, the injustices committed by some government officials and
powerful and influential persons, and the continuing poverty of the people were used as
propaganda of the NPA in attracting idealistic young people.

Even priests and nuns who were witnesses to the oppression of the Marcos
dictatorship join the NPAs. One of the priests who joined the NPA was Father Conrado
Balweg of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). He became a rebel folk hero to the
ethnic tribes in the Cordilleras in Northern Luzon. As of July 1993, Balweg claimed to
reports: "I am still in charge".

Student’s protests on the prevailing conditions of the country saddled the second
term of Marcos in office. Large throngs of students went out into the street of Manila and
other urban centers to denounce the rampant graft and corruption, human rights
violation, high tuition fees, militarization and abuses of the military, the presence of the
U.S. Military bases and the subservience of the Marcos Administration to U.S. interests
and policies/ The most violent student demonstration took place on January 1970 when
thousands of student demonstrators tried to storm the gates of Malacañang. Six
students were killed and many were wounded. This event came to be know as the
"Battle of Mendiola".
 The most prominent student at that time Edgar Joson and Nilo Tayag. The
radical student groups during this period were the Kabataang Makabayan (KM) and the
Samahang Demokratikong Kabataan (SDK). The communists took advantage of the
situation and used the demonstrations in advancing its interests. Because of the
perceived deplorable condition of the nation, the communist movement subdued by
President Magsaysay in 1950's, revived their activities and clamor for reform. A more
radical group, the Maoists, who believed in the principles of Mao-Tse-Tung (leader of
China) took over the communist movement. They reorganized the Communist Party of
the Philippines (CPP) and created a new communist guerilla army called the New
People's Army (NPA). The communists took advantage of the growing discontent with
the Marcos. Administration to increase the number and strength. As a strategy, they
actively supported a number of anti-Marcos groups. They infiltrated several student
organizations, farmers, laborers and even professionals. The NPA gradually increased
its ranks and spread to other parts of the country as far as Mindanao.

THE RISE IN ACTS OF VIOLENCE

In the early 1970's many of the acts of violence were inspired by the communists.
Some, however, were believed to have been planned by pro-Marcos and other terrorist
incidents rocked Metro Manila. The bloodiest was the Plaza Miranda Bombing on the
night of August 1, 1971 where the Liberal Party had a political rally. Eight persons were
killed and over 100 others were injure. Among the senatorial candidates injured were
Marcos blamed the communists for the tragic incident. He suspended the writ of habeas
corpus to maintain peace and other. The suspension was lifted on January 11, 1972.
Hundred of suspected subversives among the ranks of students, workers and
professionals were picked up and detained by the government.
 The beginning of the end of the Marcos era occurred when his chief political rival,
Liberal Party leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, who had been jailed by Marcos for eight
years, was assassinated as he disembarked from an airplane at the Manila International
Airport on August 21, 1983, following medical treatment in the United States. Marcos
cronies were charged with this crime but were acquitted. Aquino, however, became a
martyr and his murder the focus of popular indignation against a corrupt regime.

The Catholic Church, a coalition of old political opposition groups, the business
elite, the left wing, and even factions of the armed forces all began to exert pressure on
the regime. There also was foreign pressure and, feeling confident with the support
given by the Reagan White House, Marcos called a “snap” presidential election for
February 7, 1986.

When the Marcos-dominated National Assembly proclaimed Marcos the winner,

Cardinal Jaime Sin and key military leaders (including Minister of Defense Juan Ponce
Enrile and acting Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Fidel V.
Ramos) rallied around the apparent majority vote winner, Aquino’s widow, Corazon
Cojuango Aquino. The People Power Movement—a popular uprising of priests, nuns,
ordinary citizens, and children, supported by defecting military units—ousted Marcos on
the day of his inauguration (February 25, 1986) and brought Aquino to power in an
almost bloodless revolution.

The Philippines was praised worldwide in 1986, when the so-called bloodless
revolution erupted, called EDSA People Power’s Revolution. February 25, 1986 marked
a significant national event that has been engraved in the hearts and minds of every
Filipino. This part of Philippine history gives us a strong sense of pride especially that
other nations had attempted to emulate what we have shown the world of the true
power of democracy.
 The true empowerment of democracy was exhibited in EDSA by its successful
efforts to oust a tyrant by a demonstration without tolerance for violence and bloodshed.
Prayers and rosaries strengthened by faith were the only weapons that the Filipinos
used to recover their freedom from President Ferdinand Marcos iron hands. The
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) stretches 54 kilometers, where the peaceful
demonstration was held on that fateful day. It was a day that gathered all Filipinos in
unity with courage and faith to prevail democracy in the country. It was the power of the
people, who assembled in EDSA, that restored the democratic Philippines, ending the
oppressive Marcos regime. Hence, it came to be known as the EDSA People Power’s
Revolution.The revolution was a result of the long oppressed freedom and the life
threatening abuses executed by the Marcos government to cite several events like
human rights violation since the tyrannical Martial Law Proclamation in 1972. In the
years that followed Martial Law started the suppressive and abusive years–incidents of
assassination were rampant, particularly those who opposed the government,
individuals and companies alike were subdued. The Filipinos reached the height of their
patience when former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Sr. was shot and killed at the
airport in August 21, 1983, upon his return to the Philippines from exile in the United
States. Aquino’s death marked the day that Filipinos learned to fight. His grieving
wife, Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino showed the Filipinos and the world the strength and
courage to claim back the democracy that Ferdinand Marcos arrested for his personal
caprice. Considering the depressing economy of the country, Ninoy’s death further
intensified the contained resentment of the Filipinos. In the efforts to win back his
popularity among the people, Marcos held a snap presidential election in February 7,
1986, where he was confronted with a strong and potent opposition, Corazon Aquino. It
was the most corrupt and deceitful election held in the Philippine history.
 There was an evident trace of electoral fraud as the tally of votes were declared
with discrepancy between the official count by the COMELEC (Commission on
Elections) and the count of NAMFREL (National Movement for Free Elections). Such
blatant corruption in that election was the final straw of tolerance by the Filipinos of the
Marcos regime. The demonstration started to break in the cry for democracy and the
demand to oust Marcos from his seat at Malacañang Palace. The revolt commenced
when Marcos' Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and the Armed Forces Vice-Chief of
Staff command of Fidel V. Ramos, both withdrew their support from the government and
called upon the resignation of then President Marcos. They responsibly barricaded
Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo and had their troops ready to combat against
possible armed attack organized by Marcos and his troops. The Catholic Church
represented by Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin along with the priests and nuns called
for the support of all Filipinos who believed in democracy. Radyo Veritas aired the
message of Cardinal Sin that summoned thousands of Filipinos to march the street of
EDSA. It was an empowering demonstration that aimed to succeed peacefully with the
intervention of faith. Nuns kneeled in front of tanks with rosaries in their hands. With the
power of prayers, the armed marine troops under the command of Marcos withdrew
from the site. Celebrities expressed their support putting up a presentation to showcase
the injustices and the anomalies carried out by the Marcos administration. Finally, in the
morning of February 25, 1986, Corazon Aquino took the presidential oath of office,
administered by the Supreme Court Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee at Club
Filipino located in San Juan. Aquino was proclaimed as the 11th President of the
Republic of the Philippines. She was the first lady president of the country. People
rejoiced over their victory proving the success of the EDSA People’s Power Revolution,
the historic peaceful demonstration.
 Although in 2001, there was an attempt to revive People Power in the efforts to
oust then President Joseph Estrada, it was not as strong as the glorifying demonstration
in 1986. The bloodless, People Power Revolution in EDSA renewed the power of the
people, strengthened the meaning of democracy and restored the democratic
institutions of government.
ANALYSIS

In remembering the happenings in our country’s history we can probably feel the
angriness and proudness at the same time. The declaration of Martial Law during the
regime of Late President Ferdinand Marcos was a suffering and a burden to innocent
and civilian Filipinos at that time. Ferdinand Marcos is one of the Genius presidents of
Philippine Republic, we should be proud of it. But the Philippines under his rule was not
as harmonious as what we thought but it is like the place for a one man who rule less in
accordance with Philippine Constitution and more in accordance with his personal
command. Martial Law was a time of hardship for most of our people. Maybe I could say
that I was lucky not to have grown up in that era. Those were the stuff nightmares are
made of. Today’s students like me are now open in more dreadful details of Ferdinand
Marcos’ rule. The unexplained disappearances and salvages became evident to me. It
was really a scary time to be politically active, especially if you were against the regime.
Although I am educated in the fact that Marcos could have been the best leader our
country has had, all his achievements were negated because of his tyranny and
despotism. Until that goodness ends and then Marcos declared the Martial Law. As an
outcome of his martial law era, the Filipino’s have become essentially afraid of the risk
of another declaration of military rule. It has created a fear in changing our constitution
even if it is in awful need of revision.
 The salvaging’s, the kidnappings, the state-sanctioned executions, tortures, and
intimidation. The fear that an unsuspecting country soon found itself living in. Curfews
and killings. Beatings and thieving. That was part of Martial Law. Thousands of men and
women found themselves jailed, tortured, and murdered. Left by the street side were
dead bodies masquerading as unremarked refuse. Those bloody reminders of Martial
Law are almost completely forgotten today. There are too many deluded among the
youth and old guard alike who celebrate the excesses of Martial Law, they like to point
to the dream of a strong man who controlled their lives and harnessed a nation to
service his, his wife’s, and their cronies’ perverse desires.

Improperly used, history can be deployed to defend almost any excess. Marcos
proved this to be true. Proper histories, those that are well-researched and evidentiary
based, provide lessons in understanding. More importantly, history gives the present an
opportunity to reflect on themselves. Maybe subconsciously we are scared to fully face
Martial Law; to come to grips with what happened, and why it happened. Our present is
reflected in our past. Maybe we shove Martial Law to the back of our collective
unconscious because we do not want to remember. Maybe it will show us things about
ourselves we do not want to face. But, it is there and someday it must be reckoned with.
REFERENCES

Reference List: Books

Primitivo Mijares, The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos I. (New
York: Union Square Publications, 1986), p. 54.

Eva-Lotta E. Hedman and John Thayer Sidel, Philippine Politics and Society in the
Twentieth Century: Colonial Legacies, Post- Colonial Trajectories (London: Routledge,
2005), p. 129.

Raul Rodrigo, Phoenix: The Saga of the Lopez Family Volume 1: 1800 – 1972, Manila:
Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Inc., 2007), p. 377

Primitivo Mijares, The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos I. (New
York: Union Square Publications, 1986), p. 166

Vergel O. Santos, Chino and His Time, (Pasig: Anvil, 2010), p. 16

Reference List: Electronic

http://www.philippine-history.org/martial-law-philippines.htm

Official Gazette. Declaration of Martial Law

http://www.gov.ph/featured/declaration-of-martial-law/
Benjamin Pimentel. 2012. To young Filipinos who never knew Martial Law.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/49932/to-young-filipinos-who-never-knew-
martial-law-and-dictatorship

http://countrystudies.us/philippines/28.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Philippines_(1965%E2%80%9386)#Refere
nces

http://www.philippine-history.org/martial-law-philippines.htm