CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTON

Background of the Study

Merriam-Webster dictionary defined martial law as the law administered by military

forces that is invoked by a government in an emergency when the civilian law

enforcement agencies are unable to maintain public order and safety.

After 50 years of declaration, martial law has become a part of our history. Former

President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. announced on television at 7:17 p.m. on September

23, 1972, that he had declared martial law throughout the Philippines due to civilians'

inability to maintain public order and safety. This marked the start of a 14-year period

of one-man rule which lasted until Marcos was exiled in the country on February 25,

1986.

Many of us remember Martial Law as a traumatic time in our country's history. A

national situation marked by all forms of violence, including executions, enforced

disappearances, suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, massive human rights

violations, and grave military and political violations of the people's civil liberties and

democratic rights. Aside from these, who can forget the former fascist dictator

President Ferdinand Marcos and the implementation of Martial Law? It was a decade-

long political situation that had an impact on all aspects of the country's social system.

The current generation was never a witness to these atrocities during this time

period. Hence, there were numerous insights, points of view, and arguments on the

negative and positive impacts of martial law on Philippine politics, economy, and

society. Some argues that martial law was the darkest episode in the country's recent

history, while others applaud and praise Marcos for imposing such a system which was

believed to have resulted in a more "disciplined Filipinos."

The historical context of martial law provided an impetus for the current study,

which sought to investigate the arguments that prompted this study. There is

1
compelling evidence that martial law is effective at controlling the economy; however,

the culprit appears to be massive abuses committed by some government officials,

which resulted in chaos. The aforementioned arguments motivated the conduct of this

study to find out what transpired during martial law under Marcos' regime in Taft,

Eastern Samar, by interviewing some of the witnesses to martial law and hoping to get

clear and factual information.

Statement of the Problem

This study sought to revisit the eyewitnesses to the Martial Rule during the Marcos

Regime in Taft Eastern Samar. The problem of the study is formulated as follows:

1. What are the experiences of people who witnessed the Marcos Regime in Taft

Eastern Samar?

2. How did the people overcome the threatening situation they faced during Marcos

Regime?

3. What happened to the people after the Marcos Regime?

Significance of the Study

The researchers believe that this study will give great importance to the

following;

To the Faculty. This study will help the teachers in their discussions of

pertinent lessons. They will find it simpler to take on connected issues about this

research.

To the Future Researchers. This study will serve as a useful reference for

future researchers who wish to conduct research on the situation that occurred during

the Marcos regime's Martial Law.

To the Community. This study will benefit the community of Taft, Eastern

Samar by giving a copy of this research to the Tourism Office of Taft and will serve as

a piece of evidence on what happened in Taft, Eastern Samar during the Marcos

administration.

2
Scope and Delimitation

The scope of this study is to find out what happened during martial law under

the Marcos regime. The study is delimited only for the eyewitness of martial law in Taft

Eastern Samar, the main purpose of this study is to point out the possible impact of

martial law on the eyewitness. The study only focuses on the experiences of

eyewitnesses of martial law. However, the researchers excluded the personal

information of the participants due to confidentiality purposes.

Definitions of Terms

In order to enable better understanding of the study, the following terminologies

were operationally or conceptually defined:

Operational Definitions

Eyewitness of Martial law. An individual from Taft, Eastern Samar who is still alive

and have survive from martial law under the Marcos regime.

Martial Law. A law that was announced by Former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

wherein the whole Philippines are under controlled by the force of military authority.

Monetary compensation. It is the money that is given to those martial law victims of

Taft Eastern Samar as a payment for all the sufferings they have experienced during

martial law.

Regime. A form of government that regulates the operation and its interactions with

society, dictatorship can be an example.

Theoretical Definitions

Eyewitness of Martial law. A person who remain alive or in existence after the Martial

Law. (Merriam Webster’s Dictionary)

3
Martial Law. According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary it is the law administered by

military forces that is invoked by a government in an emergency when the civilian law

enforcement agencies are unable to maintain public order and safety.

Monetary compensation. According to Merriam Dictionary, it is the money paid to an

employee in exchange for the employee’s labor.

Regime. Mode of rule or management. (Merriam Webster’s Dictionary)

4
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter deals with literature related to the present study, derived from books,

theses, and journals. These have provided principles and steps for the conceptual

needs of the study.

Review of Related Literature

Martial law is the suspension of ordinary legal protections for civilian rights in the

absence of a civil government. Martial law may be declared in the aftermath of a crisis

or imposed during a coup. For good reason, declaring martial law is a rare and

significant decision for a civilian government to make. When martial law is declared,

civilian control of some or all aspects of government operations is transferred to the

military. This means that, in the case of elected governments, the representatives

chosen by the voting population are no longer in power. The citizens have given up

control of the country in exchange for the potential restoration of order, with the risk

that control will not be reclaimed in the future. When martial law is declared, civil

liberties such as the right to free movement, free speech, and protection from

unreasonable searches may be suspended. The traditional criminal and civil justice

systems are replaced by a military justice system, such as a military tribunal. Civilians

may be arrested for violating curfews or for offenses that would not normally warrant

detention. Laws relating to habeas corpus, which are intended to prevent illegal

detention, may also be suspended, allowing the military to detain individuals

indefinitely without recourse (Kenton, 2022).

According to English jurist Sir Frederick Pollock, "so-called "martial law," as distinct

from military law, is an unlucky name for the justification by the common law of acts

done by the necessity for the defense of the Commonwealth when there is war within

the realm." Such "acts done by necessity" are limited only by international law and the

5
conventions of civilized warfare. Furthermore, regular civil courts do not review the

decisions of military tribunals, and there is little authority on the subject of remedies for

military abuse of power. Such questions are of little importance in the United Kingdom

and many other jurisdictions, given the modern practice of granting emergencies or

special powers by statute (Augustyn, 2022).

Martial law refers to the replacement of civil rule by military rule. It is the power of

the president as Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces meant for times of crisis, for

the security of people, and for expediting justice. At least 25 countries, including

Armenia, Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Egypt, Finland, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran,

Ireland, Israel, Mauritius, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Syria,

Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the US, and Yugoslavia, have declared martial law

in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed or in occupied

territory. On February 24, 2022, Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, issued

Decree No. 64/2022 on the Introduction of Martial Law in the Entire Territory of

Ukraine. The move to declare a state of emergency came after the president of the

Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, signed decrees recognizing the two secessionist

regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states (Fremer, 2022). Further, in the

Philippines, martial law was imposed three times under Spanish colonial rule in 1871

by Governor-General Rafael de Izquierdo in the provinces of Cavite and Pampanga

as a measure against banditry. In August 1896, Governor-General Ramon Blanco

declared martial law in eight provinces: Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Tarlac,

Laguna, Batangas, and Nueva Ecija, and under the Aguinaldo administration on May

23. Martial law was also enforced under American colonial rule and was proclaimed in

Leyte in January 1907. On January 2, 1942, Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma, commander-

in-chief of the Imperial Forces, declared martial law under the Japanese Military

Administration. After that, President José P. Laurel of the wartime Second Philippine

Republic during his administration placed the Philippines under martial law in 1944

6
through Proclamation No. 29, on September 21.and was followed by Osmea on

January 7, 1946, in Nueva Ecija. In addition, on September 23, 1972, at 7:17 p.m.,

President Ferdinand Marcos announced that he had placed the entirety of the

Philippines under martial law through Presidential Proclamation No. 1081, which was

dated September 21, 1972. This marked the beginning of 14 years of one-man rule,

which would effectively last until Marcos was exiled from the country on February 25,

1986. This regime was called the "Golden Age" to some people who believed that the

dictatorship had brought a lot of benefit to the country, while it was considered a "Dark

Age" for those who had suffered during his administration. President Gloria Macapagal

Arroyo officially declared martial law in Maguindanao province in 2009, via

Proclamation No. 1959, effectively suspending the writ of habeas corpus. And the last

declaration of martial law was during Duterte's administration on May 23, 2017, in

response to the conflicts in Mindanao and recent clashes in Marawi City related to the

Maute group. Hence, it has already been ten times that martial law has been declared

here in the Philippines.

"I had the opportunity to ask and listen to young people from Davao when I got

invited by the Assumption School of Davao chapter of the Junior Social Workers

Association of the Philippines to speak on behalf of Konsyensya Dabaw at an event

titled "Recounting and Retelling Horrors of Martial Rule: A Story Forum" last December

2016" (Maglana, 2017). Three other invited panelists shared stories of how they stood

for democracy and people's rights during the Marcos dictatorship and of getting

incarcerated and tortured by the forces of authoritarianism. At the end of my slot, I

asked the participants to write down their answers to two questions: the key questions

they wanted to be answered about martial law and what they thought were effective

ways of answering the questions. I also asked them to indicate their age and sex. I

thought that Konsyensya Dabaw and other groups could use the results of the exercise

to further enhance communication and education efforts about martial law. Two

7
respondents wanted to know about available resources should martial law be imposed.

One wanted to know if the courts could suspend their declaration. Another person

asked if other countries could help once martial law is declared. I thought about these

questions again when news broke out that President Rodrigo Duterte had talked about

declaring martial law to address the illegal drugs problem in his talk before the

Chamber of Commerce on January 14 in Davao.

We are troubled by voices pleading with us to never forget when we learn about

Marcos Sr.'s martial law. To prevent a replay of what happened, it must forever be

etched in our collective memory. With the dictator's son in office, we still seem to be at

the beginning stages of a recurrence. How is this possible when we have been trained

to never forget? Maybe because memories can be manipulated, altered, or lost

entirely. The communal memory was contaminated by Marcos' myth and propaganda

since memory alone cannot be completely genuine. The truthful ones are also what

helps preserve the real collective memory of the people, even though this may give

the impression that the media, news reports, and other documents are corrupt (La Via

& De Belen, 2022).

The late president of the Philippines, Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., is the father of our

current president, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. On September 21, 1972, he

issued Proclamation No. 1081, declaring martial law in the Philippines. In the

Philippines, there was a military rule for eight and a half years. On January 17, 1981,

martial law in the Philippines came to an end (Juego, 2022).

In May 2017, owing to terrorism in the city of Marawi, the 16th president of the

Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, proclaimed martial law on the island of Mindanao.

As a result, military control is extended three times before coming to an end. Martial

Law in Mindanao was first extended until the end of 2017, then again until the end of

2018, and finally until the end of 2019 (Montalvan II, 2019).

8
 On February 24, 2022, after being attacked by Russia, Ukraine's president,

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, proclaimed martial law throughout the nation. To protect his

nation, he has declared martial law. Currently, Russia has successfully invaded various

regions of Ukraine, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has also proclaimed martial

law there. The entire country of Ukraine is currently under martial law (Fremer & Lana

2022).

Through Proclamation 216, President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law and

suspended the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao, citing insurgency as the reason.

After failing on Tuesday to apprehend Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon in Marawi

City, Lanao del Sur, state forces gave this a try. At Hapilon's command, gunmen from

an affiliated Maute faction that had taken inspiration from the so-called Islamic State

then entered the city. The declaration invoked Article 7, Section 18 of the 1987

Constitution, which gave the president the authority to impose martial law for a

maximum of 60 days in situations including "invasion or insurrection when the national

safety needs it."

Additionally, it cited a section of the Revised Penal Code that outlined the

requirements for the crime of insurrection as follows: committed by rising and using

force against the government to dislodge anybody or other armed forces from the

territory of the Republic of the Philippines or a portion of it, or to completely or partially

strip the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the Chief Executive of any of their

authorities or prerogatives. The Maute terrorists began flying the Islamic State flag in

many locations, according to Proclamation 216, "thereby openly attempting to detach

from the allegiance to the Philippine Government in this region of Mindanao." However,

experts voiced reservations regarding the government's justification for what is thought

to be an extreme action (Ortiz, 2017).

On the 24th day of February 2022, an attack from the Russian Federation that

caused the deaths of some Ukrainian citizens and destroyed towns and villages was

9
reported. As a response to the Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr

Zelensky issued Decree No. 64/2022 on the introduction of martial law in the entire

territory of Ukraine to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state. It was

approved by the Ukrainian legislature on the same day, allowing the imposition of the

legal regime of martial law for 30 days.

Similarly, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared martial law, claiming

that it was the only way to defend and fight against increasing violent student

demonstrations, alleged communist insurgency threats by the new Communist Party

of the Philippines (CPP), and the Muslim separatist Moro National Liberation Front

(MNLF). Furthermore, Erik Ortiz (2017) explains in his study "Why Duterte Declared

Martial Law in the Southern Philippines Over an ISIS-Linked Group" that Duterte

declared martial law to quell the escalating violence in Marawi City, which was overrun

by separatist rebel fighters and affects approximately 200,000 people.

In 1972, on September 23, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared martial law

in the Philippines due to an alleged attack by rebels and communists. In the study

conducted by Kurt Yap (2018), the dictatorship contributed to Philippine infrastructure,

transportation, and geothermal power. During his presidency, he was able to construct

the Kidney, Heart, and Lung Center, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Manila

Philippine Center, and the San Juanico Bridge, which connects the Samar and Leyte

islands. It was also stated that Marcos is the man behind the North Luzon Expressway

(NLEX), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), as well as the Manila Light Rail Transit

(LRT) that are still in use today. The infrastructure of the country flourished during

Marcos' administration. He was successful in constructing the Kidney, Heart, and Lung

Center, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Manila Philippine Center, and the

San Juanico Bridge, which connects Samar and Leyte. Moreover, the Marcos regime

not only contributed to the Philippines' infrastructure and transportation, but it was also

10
helpful in reducing criminal activities during his administration through the

implementation of curfews.

Review of Related Studies

In the study conducted by Pangilinan et al. (2020), the martial law period brought

various experiences and difficulties to the members of the UPLB community. They

believed that Duterte's administration was a repetition of the late President Ferdinand

Marcos Sr.'s and said that it was difficult for them to trust the government again

because of the experience they had in the past.

The declaration of martial law by President Rodrigo Duterte in Mindanao was

received with mixed reactions from different sectors. The opposition group was all-

armed in criticizing the move of the president, citing several reasons but highlighting a

possible repeat of the terrors and horrors of the past during the administration of

Ferdinand Marcos, who declared nationwide martial law in 1972, which ended in 1986.

However, martial law during President Duterte's term appeared to be very different, as

evidenced by the overwhelming support of the Filipinos and the high ratings the

president received in the surveys. According to the results revealed in the study by

Plazos et al. (2018), initial reservations, improved peace and order, strong public

support, and the trust of the president. The informants, though they had some

reservations at first, saw the new face of martial law, which is very helpful in their role

at the grassroots level, specifically in maintaining peace and order.

Although martial law has brought benefits to the country, many see it as a tool to

overrule the Philippines. In the study conducted by Kurt Dela Pea (2021) entitled

"Marcos Martial Law: A Golden Age of Corruption and Abuse." The dictatorship was

considered deadly, particularly for those who stood against Marcos and were either

killed or went missing.

11
 People are afraid of having martial law again in the Philippines. According to

Manapsal (2019), people are afraid of martial law because they have received incorrect

information about it. She also added that if the people are aware of how the economy

and the people benefit from martial law, it might not be hard for the government to

convince the citizens to declare martial law.

According to the Human Rights Violations Victims Memorial Commission

(HRVVMC), 11,103 people were victims of rights violations by the dictatorship based

on who received the Human Rights Compensation and Recognition Act of 2013. The

data showed that 2,326 victims were either killed or disappeared and were never

found. The Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance said that from 1971 to

1986, at least 878 people went missing and are now considered Desaparecidos, or

disappeared. In addition, HRVVMC said that there were 699 and 1,417 approved

victims who claimed illegal detention during the Marcos dictatorship. But AI counted at

least 70,000 people who were wrongly imprisoned by the Marcos regime. Moreover,

Amnesty International (AI) said that 107,200 victims were killed, tortured, and

imprisoned by the Marcos regime. Among those victims, there are at least 3,200

innocent people who were killed.

Following in the footsteps of President Ferdinand Marcos, former President

Rodrigo Duterte implemented martial law in Mindanao to suppress the terrorist attack,

specifically in Marawi City. The implementation of martial law in Mindanao causes

severe damage to human rights (Rosauro, 2019). According to the human rights

coalition, over 500,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since 2017,

including 1,007 victims of aerial bombardment. Moreover, the human rights coalition

claimed to have documented 162 extrajudicial killings, 704 fabricated charges, and

284 illegal arrests and detentions. According to Anthony Hustedt (2017), Duterte's

declaration of martial law in Mindanao is concerning. He reasoned that the repressive

12
actions by the government increased support for Moro people in extremist

organizations that opposed the government.

In the data shown by the Human Rights Victims' Claims Board (HRVCB), 332

people were killed and 301 people were either killed or forcibly disappeared in the

province of Samar. In Jenoah Francesca Jamis' study entitled "LAURA (9 POINTS-

TORTURE)" in 2022, President Marcos sent additional military forces to Samar Island

due to the rise of communist activities. Due to a conflict, one area in Samar was

declared "no man's land" for almost six months. The insurgents have reportedly raided

villages, seized guns and equipment from the police, and conducted meetings with the

locals. In the study, eighteen soldiers have participated in the inhumane violation of

Laura, a victim, and have submitted a claim to the HRVCB under the command of

Capt. Quijano. According to the Martial Law Chronicles project (MLC), Samar was one

of the most affected provinces by martial law crimes during the Marcos regime.

Famous rebel groups reportedly controlled the entire province, and hundreds of poor

families were affected, arrested, and questioned about their ties to the New People's

Army. They killed, raped, abused, and tortured them. In their interview, at least 22

victims from Eastern Samar describe inhumane treatment by military forces.

Furthermore, Susana Pumarejos, one of the interviewees, claimed that her cousin was

raped, killed, and his liver eaten. In addition, Vicente Apilado states that nine men out

of the 13 of them were made to suck the penises of the Philippine Constabulary. Also,

Erlinda's husband from Dolores, Eastern Samar, was roasted like a pig and eaten

(MLC, 2015).

Why did former President Marcos Sr. declare martial law? Simple, to cling to

power, and to continue to enjoy the perks and funds that come with being the President

(Pangilinan, 2022).

According to the 1935 Philippine Constitution, a president may serve no more than

two consecutive four-year terms. Marcos was elected for the first time in 1965, and

13
again in 1969. He was not allowed to run for president in 1973. That is why Marcos,

Sr., declared martial law to stay in power, plunder the Philippine economy, and

suppress growing opposition to his rule. Marcos established a one-man authoritarian

regime with a single stroke. He disbanded Congress, abolished the vice presidency,

canceled the 1973 presidential election, shut down the media, and imprisoned critics

of his administration, including senators, congressmen, print and broadcast journalists,

labor leaders, church leaders, and student activists, among others. Marcos also took

over businesses owned by rivals and critics' families, including the TV network ABS-

CBN, the power firm Manila Electric Company (Meralco), and banks like the First

United Bank, and gave them to his cronies. Marcos' martial law became synonymous

with extrajudicial killings (known as salvaging in the Philippines), arrests and

imprisonments, torture, and disappearances due to its callous disregard for human

rights. According to Amnesty International, between 1972 and 1981, an estimated

3,240 people were killed, 34,000 were tortured, 70,000 were imprisoned, and over

1,600 disappeared, never to be found. Marcos' rule was marked by an economic crisis

caused by gross economic mismanagement and corruption. Foreign debt in the

Philippines increased from $278 million in 1965 to $2.5 billion in 1970. A year before

Marcos was deposed, the country's foreign debt had risen to more than $25 billion.

This is one of the main sources of Marcos' ill-gotten, hidden assets stashed abroad,

including his four Manhattan properties worth $316 million. While the economies of

many of the Philippines' Asian neighbors grew rapidly, the Philippine economy

stagnated. It took the country twenty-one years to recover and return to its 1982 GDP

level.

14
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methods used in conducting this study, which

include the research design, population and sampling technique, participants of the

study, locale of the study, research instruments, data gathering procedure, data

analysis, and ethical consideration.

Research Design

This study follows a descriptive-analytical research design. This method was

chosen because this study will attempt to describe and analyze the experiences of

people living in Taft, Eastern Samar, who witnessed Martial Law during the Marcos

Regime.

Population and Sampling Technique

The participants of this study are five witnesses to the events of September 23,

1972, when former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. formally announced martial law in

the Philippines, specifically in Taft, Eastern Samar. The study was conducted in Taft,

Eastern Samar. The researchers chose the participants because they were the only

witnesses in Taft and Eastern Samar who were available and alive.

The researchers used purposive sampling in selecting the participants for this

study. This sampling technique is a sampling technique that qualitative researchers

use to recruit participants who can provide in-depth and detailed information about the

phenomenon under investigation.

Participants of the Study

In this study, the participants are the following: (a) witnesses of martial law; and

(b) people who receive monetary compensation from Taft, Eastern Samar. The study

15
excluded (a) people under the age of 50 and (b) witnesses from the other municipality.

There were 3 female and 2 male witnesses of martial law, aged 50 years and older.

Locale of the Study

The study was conducted in Taft, Eastern Samar, where our participants are

residing. The two participants reside in Barangay 2, and three of them reside in

Barangay 3.

Research Instruments

This study was carried out using research instruments, including books related

to the said subject, modern tools such as aromatic technologies, and the interviews

used to gather data for the study.

Data Gathering Procedure

In this study, the researchers sought to gather information on the experiences

of the people who witnessed martial law. The researchers set a particular time for

gathering the data from their selected participants. Upon giving a particular time, the

researchers go to Taft, Eastern Samar, and collect the data through face-to-face

interviews and questionnaires.

Data Analysis

After conducting an oral interview with five witnesses to Martial Law in Taft,

Eastern Samar, the researchers transcribed the collected data by manually converting

the audio recordings into text. Afterward, organizing the transcripts by sorting the

responses into their corresponding questions happens. The researchers used thematic

analysis in analyzing the collected data as it provides a highly flexible approach that

can be modified for the needs of this study. Thematic analysis is a useful method for

examining the perspectives of different research participants, highlighting similarities

and differences, and generating unanticipated insights.

16
Ethical Consideration

This study followed appropriate research ethics guidelines. Through a formal

written request, the researchers obtained formal permission from the mayor of Taft

Eastern Samar, as well as the barangay chairwomen of Barangays 2 and 3. Before

starting to interview the participants, first ask for permission if the researchers can

record the interview that will take place so that the flow of the interview can be easy

and fast. The researchers begin by providing information about the study and an

assurance that the data collected will be kept confidential and will not be used in any

legal action against them. The private information gathered in this study, such as the

names of the participants and other information obtained, will not be shared publicly

during or at the end of this study. All information that would reveal the identity of the

participants will be systematically removed before data analysis begins. To do this, we

will give each answer of the participants a number to serve as a guide to the researcher

when there is missing data.

17
 CHAPTER IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings presented in this chapter are based on in-depth interviews with

five expected participants, who are martial law witnesses, conducted between

September and December 2022. However, 2 out of the 5 expected participants refuse

to be interviewed because of the trauma from their experience. The researchers look

for other martial law witnesses to substitute for those participants who refuse to be

interviewed. The identities of the participants are also concealed due to confidentiality.

The study's findings, as shown below, have been organized and classified into

five themes based on the study's research questions. To be more organized, I went

through a thematic analysis and presented using a table. The participants of this study,

residents of Taft, Eastern Samar, and witnesses to martial law, are interviewed about

their experiences during the Marcos regime.

Question 1. How can you prove that you were a victim of Martial law?

Research Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Participant 5

Question
1.Patiunan-o “Tikang kami “Siyam at an “September “Kinuha kami “Galing sa
nim han lamay ak edad, BIR adto han pagka dinhi hin trak bukid, nakita
matatagan didto kanda maat nak tatay, mayda Martial han mga PC, namin na
hin kadig- mr. Amore's, harapiton it law, waray trece an nasa pintuan
unan nga magpapauli na hiya ngin nakakagawas nadakop haam na namin
ikaw in kami, ah.. mayda han mga balay, dinhi. Hadto ang mga
biktima han ugrupod kami nagsusuruhay. an mga nakadto nga gab e sundalo.
Martial law? ni mr. Docil Hadto gin dapit han iraya pagkinastiguha Pag-uwi
Pascual, hi hiya ha balay milakuri nira pag kay di ka ma namin,
Ropino Balaye kay malaka makadire, hinatid na
Secarias nagsusuhay dudulhog, asya sumiring kama nila ang
Balbaboco, kuno, usa at an mas nga ano, kuan tatay ko.
pagyungod hadto nga naapektohan an ma NPA ka Itinali nila
namon ngada nagsusuhay mga nakadto talaga bisan siya at
ta may kanda akon patod an han eraya, an an mayor an binatukan
bekbek nga usa nama iba largo la ira siring, ang kanyang
monar, sundalo. Niyan pinagkakamalan kagawad bisan mga paa sa
nayungod na Kay inawat an nga NPA. Takay hin o nga tawo mismong
kami dida, in hi ak amay, ako nakanhi NPA dinhi ha bahay
sir pascual kasiring nama manla ak ha amon”. (We namin.
Kay ura ma hin han sundalo bungto dire gad were taken Naputol ang
ka igwalado, nga naugop an gikurii an naging from here by a isang daliri

18
gasi niya dire ak amay han epekto haak han PC truck; 13 of niya.
mga sundalo, iya patod Martial law. Oo us were taken. Napahawak
nag tagalog nagpabuto an A whole night ito sa
hiya "ha ano hiya han iya pagmalagawas of puwitan ng
ba hindi kayo armalight, han una makuri interrogation, riple.
uuwi?", napusil an ak tapos mayda pa However we Pagkatapos
natukuran, amay han iya curfew pero kun denied it, and noon ay
akay siki. Takay masunod la han we were dinala na nila
sangpiton hadto patakaran dire branded as kaming tatlo
kami, "galing nagkakahadlok gad maano, NPA's.) sa camp.”
saan kayo?", ma an mga parehas manla (Coming
"don sa ano, tawo hit militar han yana nga from the
sa lamay”, nangangaro pag lockdown” farm, we saw
largo kami hin bulig na (It was Sep- that soldiers
pinanapuyong” nak amay tember when were already
(We are on our waray nabulig, Martial Law was at our
way home asya dama at implemented. doorsteps.
from Mr. an kinamatay No one can The moment
Amores. I'm niya” (I was leave their we got
with Mr. Docil only 9 years houses. Those home, they
Pascual, old, and my in the upstream took my
Ropino Balaye father was a barangays find it father. They
and Secarias BIR; he was difficult to leave. tied him up
Balbaboco. the one being That's why and stomped
When we are called when those in the on his toes in
in Bekbek, in there was upstream our house.
front of them, trouble. Then barangays are One of his
Sir Pascual is he called very affected. toes was
a naughty boy, because there The others are severed. It
he thought that was chaos mistaken in got caught in
they are not between my believing they the buttocks
soldiers, which cousin and a are NPA of the rifle.
is why he said, soldier. Then members. For After that,
"What are you my father tried me, the effect of they brought
doing here?” to stop them. martial law is the three of
“Aren't you The soldier not that hard us to the
going home?" thought that because I can camp.)
Then they my father was go to the town
called us and helping my without
said, "Where cousin in the difficulties.)
did you come fight, even he
from?" "There was only
at the funeral,” stopping them.
we said, and That’s why the
then they hit soldier pulled
us.) his armalite
and used it,
and eventually,
my father got
hit on his feet.
During that
time, people
were afraid of
soldiers. My
father asked

19
 for help, but
nobody helped
him, and that
was the cause
of his death.)
Figure 1.0, Responses to the question How can you prove that you were a victim of

Martial law?

Based on Figure 1, the question, "How can you prove that you were a victim

of martial law?" Participant 1 was hit by military men when he was on his way home

with a friend. Participant 2 was 9 years old when his father died because he was shot

on his feet by a soldier and no one dared to help them. Participant 4 was taken in a

truck with his 13 companions and was accused of being an NPA. Participant 5’s father

was taken by the soldiers and brought to the camp with her parents. Meanwhile,

participant 3 did not experience the same abuses that the other participants did, as he

said that only those who lived upstream were the most affected.

Question 2. What was your experience during the Martial law?

Research Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Participant 5

Question
2. Ano an “Kuan ini “Makuri “Asya manla “Duha ka “Ako naman ay
imo mga damo manla paggagawas at nga semana, inilagay sa loob
gin agian at, ngin suga han balay kailangan hin adlaw gab e ng isang
han pag na kunta hin hadto tapos sedula kapag an kastigo. malaking sako
Martial law? kulop dire dama makadto ka Primero nga na nakatali sa
nagdidismiss, puyde nga ha iba nga semana, itaas at
ini ubos an magagab- lugar or kinadto nakasabit sa
mga tawo ihan ka ha madulhog ka kami han mga rafters
alerto an gawas hit tikang ha am mayor, mga dalawang
pagdidismiss gabi kay eraya. Hi ako an am mga talampakan
hadto alaw mayda han una dire kagawad, mula sa lupa.
pa mga alas curfew. An laak hadto an mga Ang nakita ko
3:30 kay nasusunod nakakagawas magyaman lang sa nanay
hiabtan ka hat han una han am balay dinhi ha taft ko, ay bumutas
ngani an mga pirme asya an am sa sako ng
hikukuan ka militar.” nga dire ak sinasarigan dayami.
han curfew, ("Back then, hadto makakuan Narinig kong
asya an mga it was hard malaag”. ga amon, sumisigaw si
tawo to leave the ("That's all wara kami mama.
nanmamalit house, and they need; pakitaa, Pagkatapos ng
hin mga kuan you couldn't they only nasiring ilang oras,
alaw pa, wara be outside at need a wara hira katahimikan.
pinapagawas night cedula to go dinhi ha Inilagay nila
na ngin alas 5 because to other amon ang aking ama

20
ha mga balay there was a barangays or ambot, wara sa tabi ng
asya curfew. The remote areas kami kanilang
pagkukuan military rules so they can pakitaa hin barikada, kung
ko ini nag- are being go out. At that sakop hin saan sila
aapura ak followed.") time, I duha ka naghukay ng
pag uuli couldn't leave semana." hukay. Kitang
tikang ha the house all (For two kita ko siya
iskuylahan the time, so I weeks, day mula sa butas
kay wara couldn't and night, ng aking sako.
kama rason wander we were Tinakpan nila
nga around.") tortured. In siya ng dumi.
magkikinuan the first Tanging ilong
ka kay Martial week, the niya lang ang
Law”. mayor, the dumikit sa
(There's a lot, councillor, dumi saka nila
just like when and the rich tinapakan ang
it’s dismissal people of dumi sa itaas
time in school the town niya. Sa
and all of the came ibabaw mismo
people are looking for ng kanyang
alert. The us. They tiyan.” (As for
time of were told we me, I was put
dismissal were not inside a large
during that there. We sack that was
time is very disappeared tied at the top
early, around for two and hung from
3:30 in the weeks.) rafters about
afternoon, two feet above
because if the ground.
they catch What I did just
you, you will now, my
violate the mother told
curfew policy. me, was to inch
That's why out a hole in
people start the straw sack.
buying foods I could hear my
and other mother
necessities screaming.
early; no one After a few
is allowed to hours, there
leave the was silence.
house after They placed
5:00 pm. my father by
That's why their barricade,
I'm always in where they dug
a rush to go a pit. I could
home from see him from
school the hole in my
because I sack. They
don't have covered him
any reason with dirt. Only
because it's his nose stuck
martial law.) out of the dirt,
and then they
stomped on the

21
 dirt above him.
Right on top of
his stomach.)
Figure 1.1, Responses to the question What was your experience during the Martial

law?

Based on Figure 1.1, with the question, "What was your experience during

martial law?" Participants 1, 2, and 3 said that they were unable to leave their houses

because of the curfew policy. Participant 4 was tortured for two weeks, and participant

5 was hanged, tied up, and put in a large sack while her parents were being tortured

by the soldiers.

Question 3. What happened after the Martial law?

Research Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Participant 5

Question
3. Ano an mga "Asya na iton, “Naging “Damo adto “Hiniyok ga “Ura hin kuri
nahitabo katima ano kit homan desiplinado an naglipay kami nga kay bata
han pag Martial na? Ah wara na, an mga tawo kay malaya malaya na pala ak han
law? an mga tawo pagkahuman nama kuno gihap kami nahinabo at,
maglipayon. Oo han Martial nira ngan dire na permi nala
kay wara nama law, mabubuhat kami mag at asya an
nira, wara na nagpapa tira karuyag, aagi sugad nakadi han
problema nga kagawas na pero para han am gin ak huna-
ira mga kun san o haakon agian hadto. huna.” ("It
kinakahadlukan, nira karuyag. maupay Kadamo was very
mga tawo Pero asya it adto kay han mga difficult
maglipayon na mayda mga damo mait biktima because I
asya it nga nagka ma an naibulig ngan was still
nagpeople's matayan hin han marcos agrabyado young when
power, waray na ira han iya hat nga that
asya la adto." kapamilya.” pagpuruko, martial law.” happened.
(People were ("The people bisan ta ("We are That's what
happy when become tulay hit happy that always
martial law disciplined leyte ngan we are comes to
ended because after martial samar iya finally free mind.")
they had law; they can ma dama it”. again and
nothing to fear. go out (Many will no
And that's it; whenever celebrated longer
there was a they want, because experience
people's power but then they they said what we
revolution). have loved they could experienced
ones who do what they before.
died.") wanted, but There are
for me, many
martial law victims
is good affected by
because

22
 Marcos Sr. martial
helped a lot law.")
as
president.
He also built
the bridge
that
connects
Samar and
Leyte.)
Figure 1.2, Responses to the question What happened after the Martial law?

Based on Figure 1.2, participants 1, 3, and 4 states that they and the people

felt overwhelmed after the martial law was lifted and that there is no longer a threat.

Participant 2 said that after martial law, the people became more disciplined and free

to do what they wanted. He also stated that there are families who lose their relatives

and loved ones. Meanwhile, participant 3 also acknowledges the contribution of

Marcos during his presidency, similar to participant 2, who says that the people

became disciplined after martial law. Lastly, participant 5 says that it was difficult for

her to move on since she was still young back then.

Question 4. How did you overcome those traumas brought by Martial law?

Research Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Participant 5

Question
4. Ano an im "Aw ini suga “Kay waray “Kay waray “Waray, gin “Gin linibang
binuhat para kunta ngin tanama hit nama iba karawat ko ko an ak
mapagdag-an nakita kunta mahihimo ka nga nala kay kalugaringon
nim an imo han mga nahinabo mahihimo human nama para maliba
mga military nga namaat kundi kay human at, dire nama pero kay
kahadlokan mga tawo, karawta nala. nama at at maliliwat.” makuri, bisan
dara han im harayo pa Makuri gad hitabo, edi ("I didn't do ak mag
mga gin agian ngani naiba ak ngani kakarawton anything, I inano makuri
han pag hin aragian dre hingalimtan nala nga just accepted gud
Martial Law? ak pero kay asya naat an it because hingalimot,
napakaupay asya maiton nahinabo.” it's over and hasta yana
kay it kinabuhi.” ("There is it can't be dire la gihap
kakastiguhon ("There is nothing else changed.") ak hit
ka damo nga nothing we to do nahinga-
interbyu han can do because that ngaturog hin
suga dama because it event is over, tuhay.” (I
kunta has already so we will focused on
nagmomotor happened, accept what other things
ka, let's just happened in to distract
sasangpiton accept it. It's the past.") myself, but
ka, huhudmon difficult to it's hard; no

23
 an im motor forget, but matter what I
pag ulian that's life.") do, it's hard
wakay. Asya to forget, and
iton." (When I until now, I
see military still can't
people, I go sleep well.)
the other way
because if
they see me,
they will abuse
me and ask
more
questions. And
if you are on a
motorcycle,
they will call
you, and you
will come
home with
your
motorcycle
broken.)

Figure 1.3, Responses to the question How did you overcome those traumas brought
by Martial law?

Based on Figure 1.3, the question is: "How did they overcome those traumas

brought by martial law?" Participant 1 has learned from his previous experience and

started to avoid the military whenever he encounters them. While Participants 2, 3, and

4 just accepted what happened in the past, saying that there was nothing to do

because it already happened. And participant 5 said that she focused on other things

to distract her mind from the experience.

24
 Question 5. How is your life today?

Research Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Participant 5

Question
5. Matiunan -o "Yana nga kuan... “Yadi pinipirit “Mayda ko na “Kinarawat ko “Makuri la
nama yana it imo kuan na kunta ini nga mga tangpos nala an gihap
kinabuhi? dre na martial law. magpakabuhi nga anak, nahitabo. Yana hingalimtan,
Yana na kunta kay mag upay tira adi nama ak aadi la gihap
nga panahon. Ah pamilyado mga trabaho napipirme ha it haakon
maupay naga tak man, taspo hi ako bukid, nag nga
pag-abat, ini wara pasalamat yadi mayda aataman tak nahinabo
ko na nala nga an ko na mga hayupan han una, na
kinakahadlukan. It yana nga pakabuhi. Bali ngan mga trauma ak
akon kunta yana lockdown maupay naga tanom.” (I just han
nga lagas naak dire ura hin dama tak accepted what nangyari
nga may ko na ka strikto kamutangan happened. dati nga
mga apo, inin sugad han yana”. ("I Now I'm hasta yana
malipayon na ako kan Marcos have children always in the makuri la
ka wara ko kuan pag Martial who have field to take gihap. Dire
kunta law”. (Now finished their care of my ko la gihap
hinunahunaan I'm trying to studies. Their animals and makarawat.”
nga maraot. Basta make a living jobs are good, crops.) ("It's hard to
yana na nga kuan because I and now I forget. I still
asya iton, ini relax have my own have my own have
na ako. Asya an family. I'm business. worries
kuan na mga tawo just thankful Now I can say about what
maglipayon, that this that I am in happened
nakakapagbalidya lockdown is good state.") before. I
na han ira mga not as strict was
karuyag as Marcos' traumatized
igbaligya." (Right martial law.) by what
now, I am happy happened in
because there is the past,
no martial law and and even
I have nothing to now it is
fear. Now that I'm hard to
old and have forget. I still
grandchildren, I'm can't accept
happy because I it.")
don't think about
anything bad
anymore. I'm
satisfied for now.
people are happy,
and they can sell
what they want to
sell.)

Figure 1.4, Responses to the question How is your life today?

25
 Based on Figure 1.4, with the question, "How is their life today?" Participant 1

said that he feels better now, that he does not have fear anymore, that he is happy

being a grandfather to his grandchildren, and that he can sell whatever he wants.

Participant 2 is making a living for his family, as is participant 3, who has a business

and children who have finished their studies. Participant 4 is preoccupied with his farm

and caring for his animals, whereas participant 5 has experienced trauma and is now

having difficulty forgetting her experiences.

26
 CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This study primarily sought to document the collective memories and

memory-making mechanisms of the Martial Law witnesses from Taft, Eastern Samar,

during the Marcos regime. From the study, researchers found that martial law was

regarded by the residents of Taft, Eastern Samar, as a violent presidency under the

late president Marcos Sr. and mostly avoided happening again. The participants of the

study confirmed that they are aware of how the dictatorship violated the human rights

of the Filipino people. Most of the martial law witnesses in this study had experienced

human rights abuses. Two out of every five participants have had traumatic

experiences and have become victims of martial law; they are also compensated

financially.

Based on the responses gathered, the researchers concluded that Taft Eastern Samar

martial law witnesses were unable to overcome the traumas caused by martial law.

However, they just accepted the pain and decided to continue living with these painful

memories they experienced in the past.

RECOMMENDATIONS

After a thorough investigation together with the findings of the study, the

researchers recommend the following:

1. To the government. The researchers recommend that the government must

hired a military who is disciplined and educated so that they will not abuse the

power that they have to hurt other people or the civilians.

2. To the Future Military. The researchers recommend that the hired military must

know their responsibility and obligation as a soldier and that is to help those

peoples in need, give security and not to threat them.

27
3. To the community. The researchers want to recommend having a list of the

people who witnessed martial law during the Marcos regime in Taft, Eastern

Samar, so it will be more convenient and easier for the future researchers that

will do the same study to know their participants.

4. To the Future Researchers. For future researchers who will do the same study,

the researchers recommend focusing on the effectiveness of implementing

martial law in a particular country since they focus on the witnesses of martial

law.

28
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

RELATED LITERATURES

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and Example. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from

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introduced-in-response-to-russian-invasion/.

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2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_law_in_the_Philippines.

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from https://th.boell.org/en/2022/09/23/martial-law-50.

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achieve-in-mindanao.

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points-torture/.

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 9. Rosauro, R. (2019). Martial law in Mindanao: Wat changed, what didn't-and at

what cost. Retrieved December 17, 2022, from

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1208251/martial-law-in-mindanao-what-changed-

what-didnt-and-at-what-cost.

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Mindanao. Philstar Global. Retrieved December 17, 2022, from

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/05/26/1703505/look-dutertes-

reasons-martial-law-mindanao.

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war/helpdesk/martial-law/.

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https://www.britannica.com/place/Philippines/The-Philippines-since-c-1990.

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May 23). BBC News. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from

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40022529.amp.

RELATED STUDIES

1. Pangilinan L., et al. (2022),"Experiences of selected University of the

Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Community Members during Martial law in the

Philippines", accessed on December 26, 2022,

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.ukdr.up

lb.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D4947%26context%3Djournal-

articles&ved=2ahUKEwj0r9Wwwpf8AhVHPnAKHcSKCiYQFnoECDUQAQ&u

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30
2. Plazos et al. (2018). The New Face of Martial Law in the Philippines from the

Standpoints of Village Officials. Retrieved from

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3. Manapsal, J. (2019), "Democracy and Martial Law in the Philippines: A

Misconception that Leads to Misinformed Citizenry", accessed on December

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Southern Philippines Over ISIS-Linked Group. Retrieved from

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31
 Appendix 1:

Interview Questions for Eyewitness of Martial Law During Marcos Regime in

Taft, Eastern Samar

1. Patiunan-o nim matatagan hin kadig-unan nga ikaw in sayud han pag Martial

Law?

(How can you prove that you were a victim of Martial Law?)

2. Ano an imo mga gin agian han pag Martial Law?

(What was your experience during the Martial law?)

3. Ano an mga nahitabo katima han pag martial law?

(What happened after the Martial Law?)

4. Ano an im binuhat para mapagdag-an nim an imo mga kahadlokon dara an

im mga gin agian han pag Martial Law?

(How did you overcome those traumas brought by martial Law?)

5. Matiunan-o naman yana it imo kinabuhi?

(How is your life today?)

32
 Appendix 2:

Photo Documentation

The researchers were gathering some reliable information at the tourism office.

Researchers’ arrival in Taft, Eastern Samar.

Researchers’ way on the houses of their selected participants.

33
Researchers conducting an oral interview with some of the participants (we
asked permission first in taking a photo, but some of them refused due to
confidentiality).

Researchers’ virtual preparation for final defense.

34