DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 September) – Various progressive groups in the Davao region staged a protest rally to commemorate the 52nd martial law anniversary on Saturday, September 21, at the Freedom Park along Roxas Avenue here.
In an interview, Grecian Asoy, representative of Karapatan-Southern Mindanao, said they hope the activity would help Filipinos remember the human rights abuses committed during the 14-year martial law period, regarded as one of the darkest periods in the country’s history due to widespread human right violations.
She added that they hope to honor the activists who fought the dictatorship of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the father of the incumbent President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
On September 21, 1972, the late President signed Proclamation No. 1081 placing the Philippines under a state of martial law in response to a “communist threat.”
Marcos was ousted on the night of February 25, 1986 by the popular EDSA People Power revolt, prompting him and his family to flee the country.
Asoy said that they are also seeking justice for the human rights activists and lawyers who were killed while pursuing their advocacies.
She said that their calls also include the release of political prisoners, a livable minimum wage and regularization of contractual workers, and an end to human rights violations, particularly red-tagging and terror-tagging of activists.
Among the groups that participated in the commemoration were Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), Makabayan Partylist, League of Filipino Students, Anakbayan, Gabriela Youth, Gabriela Partylist, Kilusang May Uno or KMU, and Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA)-Southern Mindanao. The crowd was estimated to be less than 100.
“The significance of this program is to encourage our youth to learn about the history of the Philippines during the martial law period declared by Marcos Sr., especially now that there are fake news all over social media. We encourage them to go beyond what they see on social media,” she said.
Asoy said that they are calling on the State to reveal the whereabouts of William Lariosa, a labor organizer who has been missing for months now.
According to the Commission on Human Rights, Lariosa, a member of the Kilusang Mayo Uno in Southern Mindanao, was allegedly arrested by suspected military agents on April 10, 2024 in Barangay Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon.
In a statement, Rauf Sissay, Bayan Muna-Davao regional coordinator, said that the groups’ rallying call is “Marcos paninglon, Duterte panubagon! Batukan ang kurap, pasista ug papet nga paksyong Marcos-Duterte!’ (Marcos must pay, Duterte must answer! Fight the corrupt, fascist and puppet Marcos-Duterte faction!).”
“Singkwentay dos katuig apan wala nakalimtan sa katawhan ang maduguong tuig ilalum sa balaud military sa diktadur na si Marcos Sr. Ang pag komemorar karung adlawa pagpaniningil og hustisya sa tanang mga biktima ug pagpaningil sa salaud sa takawhan sa kasamtangan (Fifty two years but the people have not forgotten the bloody years under the military law of the dictator Marcos Sr. The commemoration today is a call for justice and accountability for the crimes committed against the people),” the statement quoting Sissay reads.
It added that the Marcoses and the Dutertes, the two ruling political families in the country, are “no different from one another – both are promoters of reactionary, corrupt, and fascist governance.”
In a separate statement, the Union of Peoples Lawyers in Mindanao or UPLM called on all members of the legal profession, especially in Mindanao, to remember and embrace their critical role in the ongoing fight against tyranny, fascism, and authoritarianism.
“We call on our fellow lawyers and law students to take up the mantle of justice—not just within the confines of the courtroom, but in every arena where the struggle for human rights and democracy is being fought,” it said.
It said that the dictatorship “unleashed unprecedented violence and repression upon the Filipino people—silencing voices of dissent, imprisoning thousands, and taking the lives of many, including lawyers and human rights defenders.”
“This dark period in our nation’s history was a direct assault on human rights, and its legacy endures. During martial law, the law was distorted and weaponized to serve the regime’s interests, plunging the country into darkness. Instead of safeguarding justice, it became a tool of oppression,” UPLM said.
It added that “lawyers and human rights advocates still face grave threats, with many killed, harassed, and disappeared for defending the marginalized.”
“As we remember the dark days of martial law, we recommit ourselves to the fight against all forms of authoritarianism. We also take this moment to honor the bravery and courage of those who dared to fight against the dictatorship. Thousands of Filipinos stood up, risking their lives and freedom to resist the brutality of martial law,” it added.
According to the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB), it determined 11,103 human rights victims during martial law were eligible to receive monetary reparations and an additional 125 cases that were determined motu propio (on one’s own initiative).
“Out of the 75,000 claims for recognition and reparation, over 60,000 have been denied for different reasons based on criteria established by law,” it said.
The operations of the board ended on May 12, 2018 per Republic Act (RA) 10368 as amended by RA 10766 (An act extending the life of the Human Rights Claims Board). (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
