Military membership grew from
55,000
in 1972 to
250,000
in 1984
and its budget ballooned from
Php608 million
in 1972 to
$8.8 billion
in 1984
“Martial Law is the most peaceful democratic time in the Philippine History”
“It was a compassionate society.
It was a benevolent leadership”
MASSIVE MILITARIZATION CAMPAIGN
One would often get kicked if the military did not like your face
– Bonifacio Salvador (PDI 1999,19)
0
IMPRISONED
0
TORTURED
0
KILLED
(According to Amnesty International)
The Martial Law Regime is held responsible for 7,000-34,000 cases of torture.
Different forms of torture were employed to extract confession, to implicate others, to instill fear, shake one’s principles or break one’s spirit.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
SALVAGE
was used as a euphemism to the act of police and military to assassinate, to execute, to murder suspected enemies of the state.
Desaparecidos
(disappeared people)
refers to victims of enforced or involuntary disappearance – abduction or imprisonment usually by state or political forces, permanently or temporarily, to silence people, to instill fear, to restrict their access or protection of law.
And until now, some are still missing without any assurance if they are still alive or not.
“I often wonder what I will be remembered in history for.”
A generation of dreamers and
idealists are wiped-out:
The Marcos regime wiped out a generation of progressive and astute young leaders that could be our leaders today.
The regime not only robbed 2 decades of prosperity, but also robbed the country’s bright future.
You can read more about the stories of Martyrs and Heroes of Democracy in the website of the Bantayog ng mga Bayani.
IMPUNITY
A climate of impunity was created that permeates up to the present. Until now, no one is held accountable from the massive loot of public coffers and human rights violations the regime had committed.
In fact, some of these people are back in power and still enjoy massive wealth.
FILIPINOs KILLING FILIPINOS
The Communist Party of the Philippines – New People‘s Army (CPP-NPA),
numbering less than 500 in 1972, used as justification for declaration of Martial Law, grew to
23,000 -26,000
regular cadres in 1986. Marcos was regarded as the No.1 recruiter for NPA.
the formation of paramilitary forces, like the ILAGA (Ilonggo Alliance for Government Action) was established to quell the movement
20000
DIED IN 7 YEARS TRYING TO CREATE ORDER IN THE REGIME
“for merely following orders, the military, as an institution sworn to protect the people, IS hounded by a history of corruption and abuse, stained by the blood of people it has sworn to protect.”
