Pres. Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, The declaration issued under Proclamation 1081 suspended people’s civil rights and imposed military rule in the country.
It was supposed to stop unrest and violence. When the smoke subsided, martial rule was never lifted. It was supposed to be a temporary solution to the rallies, Plaza Miranda bombing, etc. but it extended for two decades.
Nuong araw, people were not as vocal because there was no easy and cheap venue to express their thoughts, sentiments, and opinions. Those who wanted to scream at the top of their lungs had to go to Plaza Miranda or UP Diliman to be heard. In this age of wi-fi, an over-active news networks and social media, every person can be heard all over the world. No need to march to Luneta and be called an aktibista. The internet is the great equalizer. Our maids go online and post their comments. We all have a voice.
President Duterte’s threats to declare martial law “if the drug problem remains virulent” will be taken by the whole country very seriously. The premise given is subjective. People will ask who decides if the drug problem is virulent? The elected president singularly? How does the country measure if drug addiction and drug pushing is in the critical stage? From whose perspective?
If President Duterte wants more serious actions to suppress the drug menace, he doesn’t need to impose martial law but rather he only needs to declare a state of emergency.
We all want the drug problem to be minimized. Maybe instead of killing our own people and cutting the civil rights and curtailing the liberties of those who have nothing to do with the drug trade, maybe the government should look into the source. Who ships the goods to our seas and ports? Who sets up clandestine laboratories around the country? Who is our major supplier of the illegal drugs? Which country do they come from? Maybe we should also talk to their top officials to help us cut off the supply chain. They will probably give us perfunctory agreements and motherhood statements but they will never stop the trade because that’s trillion dollar business for them.
I believe that the whole nation will be one solid block in their fight for their freedom and civil rights. We don’t want any military power. We elected a new president believing that we will be living in peaceful harmony, in a progressive and democratic country. Filipinos didn’t go to the polls to vote whether they wanted to have martial rule.
Mahirap man o mayaman, lahat tayo gustong mamuhay ng marangal, makatotohanan, malaya at masagana. We want a life that is peaceful and free. Not to live in fear.
Let’s all be one.
Kalayaan para sa Pilipinas.
Katahimikan para sa ating bayan.
#choosetobegood
We as a nation just never learns. We ousted a dictator and now near again to another one. We even entertained of having as replacement of the upcoming dictator the son of a former dictator.
The justification of the imposition of martial law will be drugs (never mind the Constitution since drugs even how virulent could it be is not in the list for the reason of its imposition). But I wonder who is the more menace to our society, the 100 poor druggies or 1 Tokhang enforcer like Police Officer Sta. Isabel who strangled a South Korean investor with his gloved hands right in Crame.