Chapter 29 – President Marcos Declared Martial Law September 21, 1972, Abolished Congress, Put the Country Under His Rule & the Growing Peoples’ Resistance
President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos declared Martial Law all over the Philippines on the 14th year of his presidency, September 21, 1972. His presidency was said to have no precedence in brutality, disappearances, killings, human rights violations and corruptions in the country’s history, after he was forced to step down from power in 1985.
After being President for 13 years, from his election 1965 until 1972, President Marcos has tasted power and glory. He never experienced this in his life and it was believed, he wants this power all his life. Martial Law, was his way to get power , after the Constitution prohibited his running for office after his 2nd term.
The power to control everything in the Philippines was foremost in the mind of President Marcos. Some said, he wants to give this privilege, as inheritance to his wife and children. It was an investment, he has planned well in advance. President Marcos had planned his declaration of martial law with deep study and greatest care, specially the consolidations of this power, with total control of the military.
Some of his reasons, were faked and initiated by the President to give him reason to declare martial law. After he declared martial rule, he put the whole country under his thumb. He padlocked Congress. He put his forefingers on the lips of the Supreme Court. He silenced the press, radio and televisions. He put big businesses under his fingers. Me tried to play with the church.
There were circumstances, however, that made easier his declaration of martial law. For instance in 1970, Lieut. Victor Corpus, an instructor of the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City, led a group of New People’s Army and raided the PMA armory, took rifles, submachine guns, grenades and grenade launchers, a bazooka and several thousand rounds of bullets and brought it to the NPA camp in the mountains of Northern Luzon.
In early 1972, there were reports China supported the revolutionary movement in the Philippines, tried to helped transport some 1,200 M-14 and M-47 rifles to the NPA to strengthen their fighting capabilities. It was reported however, the rifles did not reached the NPA after government forces captured the boat loaded with guns, capsized somewhere in northern Luzon beaches.
Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr., in a privileged speech in the Senate earlier, warned that President Marcos will establish a “garrison state” and declare martial law. Senator Aquino said the threat of communist takeover following series of bombings in Manila were just part of President Marcos designs to give him the power to rule the country by martial rule.
When he declared martial law, there were few NPA in the country. In 1971, the New People’s Army had less than 100 fighters. The Communist Party of the Philippines was just re-organized in December 1968, and it was still struggling with the leadership of the old Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP).
Circumstances changed the situation in the country. After President Marcos declared Martial Rule, thousands of KM and SDK members in the country, went to the hills and submerged with the people both in the cities and the countrysides. They were soon transformed to CPP cadres and NPA fighters. They mobilized and trained thousands of revolutionary fighters in the people’s liberation struggle and the fight for national democracy.
Many believed, the many bombings in Metro Manila, including the bombing of Plaza Miranda were planned by top operatives of President Marcos and Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile. It was carried by there henchmen to make people believed that there was conspiracy and gave him easy way to declare martial law.
The bombings in Metro Manila were believed made by his trained operators, to establish in people’s mind there were indeed an existence of rebellion and imminent danger of Communist takeover.
Sen. Benigno Aquino was reported a communist. But many did not believed this. For Ninoy Aquino, was a politician who knew how to mobilized wide sectors of citizens for his dream to be president. He worked with the Kabataang Makabayan (KM), in many parts of the country. He asked them to help him in his political campaigns, by building a strong opposition to President Marcos leadership. But Sen. Ninoy Aquino, by his way of life and financial power, could never ba communist.
The Kabataan Makabayan (KM) before September 1972 was a militant and legal organizations that have joined the opposition to fight President Marcos who has galvanized his leadership for continued rule of the country.
I remembered in mid-1969, when I was in Iloilo City, Senator Ninoy Aquino arrived. He was meeting the leaders of Kabataang Makabayan at River Queen Hotel. They have a series of consultations that day. By that time, KM had emerged as the strongest student movement in Iloilo and Panay, with militant orientations, participating forcefully in the legal and parliamentary efforts for social and political change. I was not privy to the discussion of Ninoy Aquino with the KM. .
On August 21, 1971, during the “Miting de Avance” of the Liberal Party in Plaza Miranda, in Manila a grenades exploded in the meeting. Nine people were killed and more than 100 were wounded seriously. Some Liberal Party candidates were injured. Seriously injured was Senator Jovito Salonga, who nearly died and was greatly weakened. In his body lodged several fragmentations grenade sharp nails that he carried thru his life.
The Liberal Party blamed President Marcos for the Plaza Miranda bombings. But some in Marcos leadership said the Plaza Miranda bombing was made by the communists under instructions of Professor Jose Ma. Sison. This press report was not taken seriously by the public. One reason, the man who was apprehended after the bombing of Plaza Miranda was a soldier of the Philippine Army. Prof. Jose Ma. Sison denied he has a hand in Plaza Miranda bombing. And many believed him.
There were some 15 bombing incidents reported during the months before September 1972.
In September 21, 1972, the newspapers reported an assassination attempt on Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile. His car was shot. But he was not hit or injured.
Six hours after the reported Enrile assassination attempt, President Marcos declared Martial Law through out the country. He suspended the 1935 Constitutions and dissolved Congress. He immediately ordered the military to arrest his political enemies, closed down all media and assumed absolute control of the country. The rest was history to be written.
No comments:
Post a Comment