Sanchez, Fedelyn Mae B.

B181 - SOC100
Anibersaryo ng Deklarasyon ng Batas Militar

Anibersaryo ng deklarasyon ng Batas Militar, On September 29, 2022, the CAS

Social Sciences Society led a webinar on martial law that was conducted via Zoom. The
purpose of this eye-opening event is to raise awareness of the value of political
engagement, underline the necessity of defending human rights, and pay respect to those
who first established these rights as universal rights. Martial law is typically imposed during
times of war, uprising, or natural disaster and entails the temporary replacement of civilian
authority with military rule. The military commander of a region or nation has unrestricted
power to enact and enforce laws while martial law is in force.
On September 23, 1972, the late President Ferdinand Marcos appeared on
television to make the announcement of Proclamation No. 1081, which put the Philippines
under martial law. To create a "New Society," constitutional authoritarianism, or the use of
constitutional law to support authoritarian rule, was imposed on the entire nation. The
order's stated purpose was to defend the republic's authority and ensure citizens' security
from lawless elements, particularly communist insurgency and other rebellious tendencies.
However, most of us view Martial Law as the most traumatic upheaval the country has ever
gone through. A national situation characterized by all forms of violence, including murders,
forced disappearances, the abolition of the writ of habeas corpus, widespread violations of
human rights, and egregious violations of political and military power against the civil
liberties and democratic rights of the populace. We have living proof in the form of Dr. Reuel
Aguila and Mr. Louie Crismo, who tell us that Martial Law under the late President Marcos
was a nightmare. Dr. Reuel Aguila shared with us his own personal experiences from that
period, as well as those of his friends. He claimed that people endured suffering, were
tortured, and were coerced into silence. He also warned us to research more about the
Batas Militar to enlighten us from history, through real sources in books and on the internet.
While Mr. Crismo is giving a presentation on the Martial Law Desaparecidos. In contrast to
Sens. Jinggoy Estrada, Robin Padilla, and Ms. Imee Marcos, he also emphasizes the
importance of not forgetting the past. According to Mr. Crismo, once we move past it, it also
means we forget about theft, state murders, violations of fundamental rights, state
repression of freedom, and turning a blind eye to the suffering of others.
There was more to martial law than just suffering. Accept that Marcos improved the
Philippines in many ways but point out that his methods of administration and the imposition
of martial law were flawed. There isn't a perfect system of governance or a perfect person in
charge. Today, it's crucial that we apply the lessons we've learned from the past in order to
prevent a tendency to repeat them. This allows us to appreciate the level of freedom we
currently enjoy. Martial law restored people's love for their country and their desire for
democracy rather than the tyrannical rule of the powerful. Martial law gave citizens the
freedom to move.