MY RECOLLECTIONS OF MARTIAL LAW

Jaime E. Masagca

#advocatusdiaboli

#chasinglightschasingdreams

 

Inauguration of a Government Project
in Legazpi City. Road widening/ improvement, 1970s

The issue of Martial Law declared during the incumbency of President Ferdinand E. Marcos persists 30 years after, with greater dynamism since the latter's son is aspiring for the presidency in the 2022 Presidential Elections.

 

Oddly, it's those who were not yet born or were too young to remember that are too vocal against it. "Never again!", is their mantra.

 

I was barely 18 years old and in my second year in college when Martial Law was declared on September 21, 1972. As television was not yet popular in our place, and we rarely listen to AM radios, I came to learn of it when I overheard a neighbor saying that it's much better and safer as people have avoided the streets unless with legitimate business or purpose. A local broadcaster was saying goodbye on-air as they will be operating only up to noontime on that day.

 

All local radio stations ceased to operate but the accessible TV channel, I think the Kanlaon Broadcasting System (KBS), continued, where the President, sitting in his leather and brass tack desk chair, declaring Martial Law, was replayed several times in a day in black and white reception. Later, it was Information Secretary Francisco "Kit" Tatad, wearing a barong Tagalog,  that was reading the subsequent Presidential Proclamations.

 

Since local radio stations have ceased to operate, about a week or two later we had DWWW of the Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) broadcasting in Quezon City. As it was the only station open and reception was good, we young people know by heart the network's station ID jingle, Jose Mari Chan's "Big Beautiful Country".

 

"Welcome world to this big, beautiful country,
Find your dreams, and give us your heart.
Here we are the rainbow people,
Reaching out to sunshine people,
Singing out, come share our laughter, brother.

You're bound to love this big, beautiful country,
Come and live and you shall see.
We promise you a new horizon, bright as bright can be
So welcome world to this big, beautiful country"

 

I'm not sure if the lyrics have any reference to the promises of the New Society, or it was merely incidental. 

 

While civil agencies continue to operate, classes at all levels were suspended for a month. But we in the Reserved Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) were already directed to report for training.  The Army training officer was kidding us that he thought we have already joined the rebel group.

 

Officers in the services of the Armed Forces were then obliged to be in complete military uniform during duty, and government employees were also required to be in uniform and have a plastic nameplate with their name, agency, and official designation.  

Martial law was not horrible as many in the younger generations portray it, so long as you do not take up armed struggle. It was just a question of reasonable discipline, though there were restrictions like possession of "subversive" documents, being unduly critical of the government which harbors on inciting to sedition or rebellion, illegal assemblies, jaywalking, and of course, there were the curfew hours that start at 10:00 p.m. I don't see media gag then, they were just observing general guidelines or self-imposed etiquettes. The era has also ushered in the formation of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) for self regulation.

 

Long hair, or "Beatles type" is discouraged, though since secondary years we were in a boy's high school it was already prohibited, more that throughout high school we had the Preparatory Military Training (PMT); and campus activism and fraternity actions have ceased.

 

Business was good then but the only drawback of Martial Law was that since there were no local elections, some local government units stagnated with inept local elective officials.  Then there were noted early pregnancies or weddings. 

 

Since discotheques and clubs were not so popular then, and ever there are, they have to close before 10:00 p.m. because of the curfew hours. The young ones would instead hold "overnight" private parties in a "kabarkada's" home.  

 

Expectedly, nobody's a "fair lady" to dance all night that sleeping or not "sleeping together" is very much possible.  I know of several friends that got married early because of pregnancy, or the girl failed to inform her parents of the overnight party that in the morning the boyfriend has to face the ire of the former, and marriage often follows.

 

The serious implications of martial law include the suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus, and the Presidential Commitment Order (PCO), wherein "during a state of martial law or when the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is suspended, the President may issue orders of arrest or commitment orders as to any person whose arrest or detention is, in the judgment of the President, required by public safety and as a means to repel or quell an invasion or imminent danger thereof, 'and the person so arrested or detained shall not be released until so ordered by the President or his duly authorized representative".

 

Later it was modified as Preventive  Detention Action (PDA) according to Presidential Decree No.1877, series of 1983, when arrest may be made "when resorting to judicial processes is not possible or expedient without endangering public order and safety,  and preventively detain him or them for a period not exceeding one year and sequester all arms, equipment or property used or to be used in the commission of the crime or crimes". However, the President  "may either order the release, authorize the further detention of or direct the filing of the proper information in Court against said person or persons".

The PCO and PDA were however applicable only to the "crimes of rebellion, sedition, and related crimes and the conspiracy and/or proposal to commit said crimes under Articles 135, 136, 138, 140, 141, and 142 of the Revised Penal Code, subversion", as well as "subversion and the conspiracy and/or proposal to commit the same", but peddled by critics as an indiscriminate action.

As martial law has its purpose to quell "the fanatical pursuit of the conspiracy and widespread acts of violence, depredations, sabotage, and injuries by lawless elements against the people", certainly the rule would hurt only those that are engaged in such acts.

 

Involuntary disappearance, indefinite detentions, and even extrajudicial killings are not discounted. But undoubtedly the same could have been attributed to the dissident's movement, either in its "purging" of the ranks, reprisal for uncooperative civilians. or retaliation against individual military personnel.

 

Maximum tolerance was the general policy of the President that later we read. in the papers that I included, was the subject of a PCO because of leading a mass action of transport workers. 

 

We opted to surrender with the aid of the legal panel but the military General sent us away as they were not in receipt of any order of our arrest.

 

It was during that period that we saw the predecessor of the contemporary "Build Build Build Program" on road networks and facilities that include the SLEX, Philippine Heart Center, Kidney Center, CCP, PICC, Folk Arts Theater, San Juanico Bridge, the "South Road" to Bicol, among others. It was easier as a mere marginal note of the President on requests is sufficient for lower officials to initiate a project.

 

It was also when art and culture were given all support, and I remember that the issue of frequent brownouts in our City was quickly addressed during a Presidential visit.

 

Like any other era, the Martial Law years, or what some say is "the period of living dangerously", wasn't all that bad, especially after the realization in comparison with the next.