verba volant, scripta manent.

"spoken words fly away, written words remain."

[apolionariomabini]

Hello. It’s been a while. I recently found my old ipod touch and found a couple of unfinished mabinaldo fics i’ve written waaay back in 2015 and before i (kinda) left the fandom. I’m thinking of maybe finishing them ? Who knows?

Anyway. I’m glad that the Goyo movie made such a huge wave that people became more interested in our history and delved into the Bayani Cinematic Universe fandom (or just the history fandom as a whole i guess)

[makaraig]

Walang Marcos the President at walang Marcos the Soldier. Hindi mo maseseparate yan. Buong tao siya - there is only Marcos. Kahit naging soldier siya, hindi mo maseseparate diyan ang mga kasalanan niya at ng kanyang administrasyon. Hindi mo mabubura ang mga nakulong, natorture, at namatay.

(There is no Marcos the President and there is no Marcos the soldier. You cannot separate the two. He is one whole person - there is only Marcos. Even if he was a soldier, you cannot separate from this his sins and the sins of his administraion. You cannot erase those who were imprisoned, tortured, and murdered.)

[makaraig]

[indiohistorian]

The Aftermath: What to Do after SC allowed Marcos to be called “Hero”

We’ve all been at the edge of our seat. In my case I just arrived in the office from an errand when the tragic news appeared on my newsfeed. I heard rumors of the bad news from friends in HRVCB and other government agencies. The Supreme Court, the final arbiter and interpreter of the 1987 anti-Marcos Constitution, has allowed with finality (9-5 in favor) to allow the dictator to be buried in Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes Cemetery). Being buried there would accord the dictatorial corpse military honors, and words of honorifics, as if he has so much to prove. But we all know it’s hollow. History says so. Evidences are here to stay. Nothing can change that.

The pro-Marcos argument is nothing short of legalism. “Why should Marcos burial at the cemetery be prohibited when there is no law that says it’s prohibited” or “We’re not calling him a Hero. We’re just giving him what his due is, as president and as former military honorable.” Yeah right. They have effectively blinded themselves to the real elephant in the room–the atrocities acknowledged by the law itself, the specific Constitutional provisions averting such grave abuse of Executive power. They have decided to stick with the “Letter of the Law” instead of the spirit or intent of the Law. This is pretty much like how the Pharisees of old accused Jesus of being Satanic because he healed a blind man on a Sabbath, a non-working holiday. Never mind that he healed the man, which was good in itself. The quasi-legislative/judiciary Pharisaic body ruled that Jesus disobeyed the law therefore he was from Satan. The absurdity of it all. This is not so different from the 9 justices who voted in favor of the Dictator’s burial at a cemetery for heroes. They have effectively trivialized the recorded atrocities, victims, and the corruption that pervaded the military and the high echelons of government during the dictatorship. The Holy Writ is harsh to people like them:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:23-24)

Many of them will retire soon, and oh what a legacy they will leave us, these men and women who never even thought of how history will judge them.

But look at the 5 Justices who stood their ground. Theirs is of the highest caliber. I salute them for their bravery and their steadfast stand for the independence of the Judiciary and the survivors of Martial Law. They upheld fairness up to the last minute. They will be remembered by history in the highest esteem. 

Perhaps the saddest fact in this tragedy was that the Martial Law victims won their cases in the U.S. and Singaporean courts. The world acknowledged them. But not in their homeland. Never in our dear homeland. Once again, as in 1973 when the Supreme Court washed hands and legitimized Martial Law, it has failed us all.

But what’s done is done.

So what do we do now? The follow-up question, however, got me really scared. How do we repair historical revisionist thinking in our circle of friends, relatives etc., when the highest court of the land has just legitimized it?

Among other things…

1. Mourn.

For now it is alright to weep. We shall not pretend that we have not lost a big part of our honor as a country. We just did. The world is watching. Our kids, more confused than ever on the definition of “hero,” are watching. Act out your anger, yes. But always do so from the spirit of grief. Our kids will get it, when they see us weep for our country because we love it.

I am reminded of this book in the Bible called “Lamentations.” The book is a song of a prophet who warned a city of its destruction. When the stubborn city was destroyed, what was left to do but weep? Weeping is not a passive thing. It mirrors what we value, and forces us to look to yearn for higher things. The book itself is a beautiful song, heart-wrenching. It has brought comfort to millions who may have not been given justice in this life.

Read Lamentations 3 as a prayer, and weep for our country.

2. Weep with those who weep. 

Hug a survivor of Martial Law.

If you know someone who went through those dark days and had terrible experience during the dictatorship, let them know you’re with them. The revisionists are now empowered, with all the rabid supporters they have attracted. I’m sure, after the SC decision, the victims feel betrayed by their country, by their institutions. They thought they had a voice, but now they feel their voice was once again taken away and trivialized. They are now framed politically, as tools of the “Yellow.” In effect, they are reliving again the horrors they thought was over. Now is the time to stand with them, to make them feel they are not alone. Because they aren’t. You and I are here with them. If they mustered the courage to voice out their painful experiences they would rather forget, why must we cower in fear and stay silent? Their courage empowers us. Channel that courage and stand with them.

Some of them meet regularly at Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Give your support to the foundation that maintains the museum and the monument.

3. Keep making the painful stories of Martial Law alive.

I won’t be even surprised if we will no longer celebrate EDSA People Power Revolution next year. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is the threat of ignorance peddled by the powers that be to our youth who keeps on absorbing without criticizing. The spread of ignorance empowers revisionists. Never let them. When there’s an occasion, make these names known: Liliosa Hilao, Edgar Jopson, Macliing Dulag, Evelio Javier, and a host of others from different ideological backgrounds. Make it known in your social media that it is not a matter of partisan politics or ideological background that you hail these men and women as heroes. It is a matter of justice and equality. It is a matter of the value of each and every human life. The call for justice remains, unanswered, unheeded. We should not stop but persist.

“Di maka-move on”? Aren’t we being unforgiving? All I know is, repentance should precede forgiveness. Justice should precede “moving on.” 

4. Don’t be naive. 

Let us not be naive. The Supreme Court, while ideally being non-partisan, has not always been so. There are some questionable judgments that it passed. There were also secret back-channelings involved that influence jurisprudence. A book by journalist Marites Vitug, entitled Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court, is a revelation of what goes on inside the SC. That’s what makes me be awed by the 5 brave justices who stood by their decision, while the rest were swayed. Unfortunately, the recent developments in SC will only erode the faith of the people on its rulings. History has attested to that, especially when the SC became a mere shadow behind the monolithic dictatorship during the Marcos regime. There are always consequences. 

*A highly recommended book written by Marites Vitug

Hence, at this very moment, to “oppose” is not really to become part of that erosion of faith in our democratic institutions. It is a vital part of democracy to self-correct itself when our government commits excesses. To “oppose” is to affirm our People whose powers of government should emanate from. To “oppose” is to support. The issue on Marcos Burial can basically be reduced to two groups: The Victims of Martial Law versus the Marcos Family. Who should the people side with? The underdog or the powerful? It was clear where our SC has sided.

5. Remember. To remember is itself an act of protest.

The act of remembering has now become a heroic act. It is in remembering that we affirm that these heroes of Martial Law have existed, and no military honor, no burial in a heroes’ cemetery, can ever trivialize their deaths, their scars, nor their wounds. The revisionists sought to rehabilitate the dictator’s reputation by making a large portion of our generation forget, but they shall fail. Theirs is a shallow fight: to simply insist on calling the dictator a “hero.” What’s that anyway compared to ours? Ours is the higher fight for Justice and Truth. Those things are universal. Those things do not expire.

Hence, I am all for an active and peaceful civil disobedience, whatever form that might take. It is an ultimate exercise of our democratic ideals, and people should be free to express that in creative ways, in social media or in the streets. 

Some “good” things that will result from this unjust decision: 

1. The myth that our democratic institutions are strong enough to balance an authoritarian-leaning incumbent Executive is shattered. No one is safe. Not even the Supreme Court. Hence, vigilance.

2. The burial of Marcos will end the necro-worship of his corpse that perpetuates the myth of his greatness ever since it was repatriated and displayed in glass case in Ilocos. All dictators of authoritarian regimes around the world have had their corpses displayed as symbols of those “glorious” days. 

3. If the atrocities were not true, the burial will definitely end the “divisive” issue. The clamor will naturally die down. But they ARE true. That makes this an issue that transcends partisan politics. And it will only gather steam, as our government shoves this blatant lie on our throats by burying Marcos in a cemetery for our honored heroes. 

4. The responsibility of guarding our history are no longer just relegated to historians and the academe, but to every citizen who knows his/her history and grounded in it. We have been rocked to the core. The rules have changed. If historians are too few to defend our history, those who know their history must rise to the occasion. We must be our own historian, studying the arguments, fighting for the truth, campaigning to voice the voiceless in our historical narrative. We must rise to the challenge.

5. Because of this move by the incumbent administration, concurred by the Judiciary, this “retraumatization” of victims will only make the issue of Martial Law atrocities more relevant. It will be the topic of discussion everywhere, no matter how divisive. That’s better than when it was just kept in dusty books, perpetuating a complacent ignorance–the same ignorance that has brought us to this point.

Final Words

Shall I say these words as balm for all of us in grief and in a state of outrage?

Truth will win.

Long after this country has faded into nothingness, long after the names of the Justices become a footnote in history, one thing shall remain–Truth. It need not be embellished. It draws power from itself–its simplicity, its consistency, its inability to be twisted. People will know what travesty happened within the hallowed halls of Justice. Yes, it may be drowned out for a while by a myriad of loud voices spewing triviality and half-truths. But Truth is here to stay, contained in our books, in our writings, it’s all recorded in our national history. It’s there, quiet but with sustained persistence. And one day, when a generation is ready to listen, it will sound a loud thunderclap, and it will rain as it has never rained before in this parched, toxic and unjust land, washing our tears and our national shame. 

Finally, we look to God who sees all and knows all, who knows the secret goings on in the halls of power, and the motivations of our hearts. I rest in the comfort that he is still in control. And what some people may mean for evil, for injustice, God will use for the ultimate good.

Martin Luther King Jr., the slain leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., and a Baptist pastor, loved quoting this passage from Scripture:

“…let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” - Amos 5:24

Martial Law posts HERE. 

[apolionariomabini]

naka-upo ka saking harapan, kamay mo'y naka-patong sa hapag.ayos lang ako. ang s'yang banggit mo, ngunit iba ang sinisigaw ng mga mata mo. “sigurado ka?”sigurado ako. inabot ko ang kamay mong pasmado at amoy sigarilyo, pinisil ko ito. tinitigan mo ako - ng mga mata mong blanko. “andito lang ako para sayo.” ngumiti ka - ngiting hindi umabot sa iyong mga matang punong-puno ng luha. “andito lang ako.”

hindi ako lilisan ni a.m. (via

apolionariomabini

)

[apolionariomabini]

naka-upo ka saking harapan, kamay mo'y naka-patong sa hapag.ayos lang ako. ang s'yang banggit mo, ngunit iba ang sinisigaw ng mga mata mo. “sigurado ka?”sigurado ako. inabot ko ang kamay mong pasmado at amoy sigarilyo, pinisil ko ito. tinitigan mo ako - ng mga mata mong blanko. “andito lang ako para sayo.” ngumiti ka - ngiting hindi umabot sa iyong mga matang punong-puno ng luha. “andito lang ako.”

hindi ako lilisan ni a.m. (via

apolionariomabini

)

[apolionariomabini]

naka-upo ka saking harapan, kamay mo'y naka-patong sa hapag.ayos lang ako. ang s'yang banggit mo, ngunit iba ang sinisigaw ng mga mata mo. “sigurado ka?”sigurado ako. inabot ko ang kamay mong pasmado at amoy sigarilyo, pinisil ko ito. tinitigan mo ako - ng mga mata mong blanko. “andito lang ako para sayo.” ngumiti ka - ngiting hindi umabot sa iyong mga matang punong-puno ng luha. “andito lang ako.”

hindi ako lilisan ni a.m.

[indiohistorian]

The Long Night Begins: Martial Law announced on live television

September 23, 1972, Midnight. It began at night, as all crimes are done. That is, Philippine democracy died in the cover of darkness. As the entire country slept soundly, President Ferdinand Marcos had sent out the military to round up the media, the opposition statesmen, activist leaders, writers, artists, all of whom have expressed a dissenting opinion or a scathing criticism on the administration, numbering to approximately 8,000 citizens. All of them would be taken by force to Camp Crame.

The first on the list of personalities to be arrested, called the “order of battle,” was reserved for none other than the face of the opposition, Senator Ninoy Aquino. Minutes before midnight Senator Arturo Tolentino, who was with the few senators that were in the Manila Hilton (now Manila Pavilion) witnessed it as it happened. They were at Room 1701. The phone had been ringing, warning the senators of the arrests. The phone rang for the last time.

It was close to midnight when the telephone rang, and the clerk who answered it called for Sen. Aquino. Ninoy: “Yes… Who is this?… Oh, compadre…When?” (Ninoy listened for sometime at the other end of the line) Ninoy: “Ok, I will wait for you here.” Ninoy returns to his chair after hanging up the phone and he said: “Gentlemen, martial law has been declared and I am being arrested. Colonel Gatan is coming up to get me. He says he knows how many of my men are here, but he has a truckload of soldiers, so to spare lives of innocent people in the hotel he asked me not to make any move.”

At 12:10 p.m., Primitivo Mijares, Marcos’ pressman and a victim of forced disappearance wrote in his book the tensed mood inside the room.

[Ninoy said] “A dark chapter is inserting itself once more into our troubled history. I hope and pray that the dark night descending upon our beloved country would come to an early end. It’s been nice being with you, gentlemen.” Col. Gatan enters the suite and hands Aquino a brown envelope which contains a xerox copy of an “arrest and detain” order signed by Enrile. Aquino then demanded the original document before he would come with Col. Gatan, the PC commander - with his gun holster noticeably unhooked - declared that he had personal orders from President Marcos to arrest the Senator. Ninoy quickly shouts to his bodyguards: “Tahimik lang kayo mga bata!”  then asks Col. Gatan: “Do I have any choice?” Col. Gatan answers: “Not any more sir. I am sorry sir.”

Aquino shakes the hand of his colleagues as he went out peacefully.

As Senator Aquino was taken into the military truck by an entire military garrison, at 12:15 a.m. all radio transmission have ceased. In an age before the internet, this was synonymous to being cut off from the rest of the world. By 12:30 a.m., the 51st Army Engineering Brigade under General Amado Santiago took over MERALCO, announcing to company employees that they’re protecting MERALCO from sabotage. Minutes after, PLDT was taken over. All long distance calls coming and going out of the country were shut down. Only domestic calls were working.

By 12:55 a.m. alarmed with all the arrests, Senator Jovito Salonga called Letty Shahani on the phone to confirm if martial law had indeed been declared. She is PC Chief Gen. Fidel Ramos’ younger sister. Shahani replied, “Yes… martial law has been declared but you are not on the list.”

Meanwhile another senator was arrested. Senator Jose Diokno was in his residence along Roxas Boulevard, Manila when the military came knocking heavily on his door at approximately 1:00 am (some accounts say 3:00 a.m.). Around the same time, military troops led by Army Captain Rolando Abadilla, arrived at ABS-CBN at Mother Ignacia Street, Quezon City to raid it and shut it down. It won’t be live again for the next 14 years. An hour later, the Metrocom came and shut down the DZHP radio station. On another part of the city, at the same time, Luis Mauricio of Graphic was arrested. There were more fortunate ones, like Journalist Tony Zumel, who was forewarned by his brother in the Presidential Guard Battalion. He evaded arrest by jumpin into the Pasig River from the National Press Club when the military arrived. Activists like Satur Ocampo also escaped before the military came for them.

At 2:30 a.m. Journalist Hernando Abaya was forcefully taken in by the military. His daughter tried to call a lawyer, but the military cut off their phone line. By 3:00 am, some newswires were able to get the story out abroad that martial law was on, as another Senator, Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo was arrested at his residence in New Manila. It was around this time that Judy Araneta Roxas called on Senator Salonga to inform him of these arrests on the  senators. He was told that Senator Gerry Roxas would go to Camp Crame to reason with the military.

In Port Area, Manila, company of troops in full battle gear” surrounds the building of the Manila Times Publishing Corporation, as the newspaper was subsequently shut down.

At the time, in Quezon City, the security guards of the Iglesia ni Cristo compound at Commonwealth grew frantic with the arrival of the military. The PC-Metrocom was there to shut down Eagle Broadcasting Network. As the military forced their way in, conflict ensued. It had to take the Defense Secretary himself, Enrile, to go there and negotiate with a bullhorn, to explain that Martial Law was already in effect. The guards stood down, but by the time the conflict was over, there were 12 casualties on record.

Meanwhile, Chino Roces, owner of the Manila Times, managed to evade arrest at midnight by going to Highway 54 (now known as EDSA) on his way towards the Diokno residence, but upon learning of Senator Diokno’s arrest, he went back home, packed his bags, and decided to willingly surrender. At around 3:15 a.m. Roces arrived at Camp Crame as he was taken in.

At 4:00 a.m. ConCon Delegate Jose Mari Velez, one of the staunch opposition to Malacañang intrusion in the Constitutional Convention, was arrested. At 5:00 a.m. the military arrested Philippines Free Press editor-in-chief, Teodoro Locsin Sr.

By 6:00 a.m. all those who were arrested waited in vain in a large gym at Camp Crame. Among those arrested were Senators Jose Diokno and Ramon Mitra, Jr., journalists “Chino" Roces, Cipriano Cid, Luis Mauricio, Delegates Jose Mari Velez and Napoleon Rama, Cavite Governor Lino Bocalan, and other prominent journalists, businessmen, lawyers, and politicians. The oldest detainee in Camp Crame was Baltazar Cuyugan, who is 72 years old. Locsin writes: “We were fingerprinted [and photographed]…like common criminals.”

By 7:00 a.m. Eugenio Lopez Jr., owner of the Lopez holdings, including ABS-CBN, woke up in Matabungkay, Batangas only to discover that all radio and tv were in static. He gravely perceived that Martial Law was on.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe, Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor arrived by plane in Washington D.C., where he received word from President Marcos that Martial Law was implemented. It was therefore his task to assure the United States that American interests won’t be affected by the military takeover. He met with Admiral Thomas Moorer, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, John Holdridge of the National Security Council, and some time later, Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield, and William Fulbright of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Hence, Martial Law had America’s blessing.

Morning in Malacañang. President Marcos wrote on his diary that he was tired and sleepy, but “exultant.” By 9:00 a.m., First Lady Imelda Marcos insisted to Marcos the need to broadcast a live televised message to inform the public, instead of opting for a recorded broadcast. Marcos assigned Francisco “Kit” Tatad, Secretary of Public Information, and also Marcos’s youngest member in his Cabinet, to read Proclamation No. 1081.

That morning, across the country, there was agitation and panic, as military men patrolled the streets. TV was all static, except for Channel 9 which showed non-stop cartoon reruns. In between the shows were a text that said “important announcement later in the day.” Radio had “muzak” music.

At 10:00 a.m. some independent-minded ConCon delegates phone called each other, and knew that Martial Law was on. They dreaded this day, for it meant that there was no stopping of Malacañang’s pressure on them to draft a Constitution to Marcos’ liking. Except perhaps if the plebiscite rejects the draft, or it be appealed in the Supreme Court. By 10:30 a.m., ConCon Delegate Augusto Espiritu, writes on his diary:

“I went to the Convention Hall. The streets were almost deserted. By late morning there were still no newspapers, no radio broadcasts. In Quezon City, I saw two cars of soldiers with one civilian on the front seat in each of the cars—obviously taken into custody. There were some soldiers at the checkpoint near the Quezon Memorial Circle, but the soldiers didn’t molest anyone. At the Convention Hall, there was a note of hushed excitement, frustration and resignation. Now the reality is sinking into our consciousness. Martial law has been proclaimed! Rumors were rife that our most outspoken activist delegates, Voltaire Garcia, Joe Mari Velez, Nap Rama, Ding Lichauco and Sonny Alvarez have been arrested. I met Convention Sec. Pepe Abueva and he informed me that this was what he had also heard. The whole day, practically, was spent by us tensely waiting for some news. All sorts of rumors were floating around.”

Like a bad cliffhanger, Vero Perfecto, the official radio announcer of the government, announced that an important message would be given by President Marcos on live television by 12 noon. But 12 noon came, and nothing. Perfecto then announced that the broadcast would be delayed due to “technical difficulties.” An impatient and frustrated public waited. An insider look however, confirmed that the reason for the delay was that Marcos’s speech was not yet ready.

When one doesn’t have news of the outside world or have no idea of what’s going on, confusion and frustration would be the mood. And in that entire afternoon, rumors spread of a military coup, that military men have taken over Malacañang and had Marcos on house arrest in the Palace. Meanwhile, a hysterical Cecille Guidote told ConCon Delegate Espiritu that she feared that TV star Joseph Estrada, who was supposed to be with her on a show that day, might have been assassinated. Fears were somehow quelled by 3:30 p.m. when it was announced that that Marcos would deliver an important announcment from around 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Hence, while most of the kids watched the cartoon reruns, many adults waited in nervous anticipation of the announcement.

*The Sunday Express, the Sunday edition of the Philippines Daily Express, came out with the news of Martial Law, on September 24, 1972. It was the only newspaper allowed to circulate upon the declaration. Many newspapers would be allowed later on but under strict censorship of the government. Source: Presidential Museum and Library.

Finally, at exactly 7:15 p.m., President Ferdinand Marcos, with a solemn gaze on the camera, went live on television. He announced that under the powers of the Constitution, he had put the entire country under Martial Law. In the entire announcement, he repeatedly said:

“The proclamation of martial law is not a military takeover. It had to be done to protect the Philippines and our democracy… I repeat, this is not a military takeover… the Government of the Republic of the Philippines which was established by our people in 1946 continues. Again, I repeat. This is the same Government that you and the people established in 1946 under the Constitution of the Philippines.”

The broadcast was followed by Kit Tatad reading the text of the Proclamation No. 1081. Seemingly exhausted, Tatad kept on scratching his leg as he read the text, which earned him the title “Kamot.” ConCon Delegate Espiritu, from the live telecast, described Tatad’s reading a “sinister monotone.”

In the Convention Hall of the ConCon at QC Hall, Espiritu recounts:

“Big Brother is watching us,” exclaimed one of the participants while looking at Tatad’s face which filled the TV frame. But this is not 1984! George Orwell showed up too early in the Philippines.

Tatad was continuously pouring out words that seemed to seal the fate of our people. We sat there and listened in mingled fear and confusion. Sadly and fearfully, we speculated on the possible fate of our militant friends who had spoken at the ALDEC seminar, yesterday and day before yesterday. They must have been taken into military custody already. Ding Lichauco must surely have been arrested, we conjectured, and Dante Simbulan, likewise. Possibly also Dodong Nemenzo, we thought. The Korean, Moonkyoo, tried to cheer us up. He has a tape of Ding Lichauco’s lecture and he said he would tell everyone that he has the last lecture of Lichauco before he was arrested.

Meanwhile, 11 high-value detainees of the government: Senators Ninoy Aquino, Jose Diokno, and Ramon Mitra, Chino Roces, Teodoro M. Locsin, Enrique Voltaire Garcia III, Napoleon Rama, Vicente Rafael, former Senator Francisco Rodrigo, Max Soliven, and Jose Mari Velez, were placed on a bus, to be taken to an undisclosed location. Senator Aquino told Hernando Abaya before leaving, “Magtatagal ito, Hernan, seguro sa Malinta ang tungo ko,” referring to the possibility that he would be shot by a firing squad.

On the bus, the detainees were mum with dread. From Camp Crame, the bus went south of EDSA. Aquino was said to have blurted out, “If we turn right on Buendia … it’s Luneta [execution] for us.” They ended up in Fort Bonifacio. They would be allowed a one-hour daily family visit, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Marcos writes on his diary about the Martial Law announcement:

“The broadcast turned out rather well and Mons. Gaviola as well as the [illegible] friends liked it.  But my most exacting critic, Imelda, found it impressive.  I watched the replay at 9:00 PM. I have amended curfew from 8-6 to 12-4. Arms bearing outside residence without permit punishable by death.”

Arrests would continue for a few days, as several senators not arrested would try to make an appeal to the Supreme Court for the suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus. But they would not succeed.

The long night has begun.

The Road to Martial Law is a series of blog posts documenting the unprecedented rise of a Filipino dictator and the sudden death of Philippine democracy with the declaration of a nationwide Martial Law via live television on September 23, 1972.

The Road so far:

- It Takes a Village to Raise a Dictator: The Philippines Before Martial Law

- Marcos Beginnings

- Truth or Dare?: Marcos during WWII

- The Turbulent ‘60s and Marcos’ Ascent to Power

- The Gathering Storm: Beginnings of the Communist insurgency and Moro secessionism in the ‘60s

- The First Quarter Storm of 1970: The Philippines on the Brink

- A Plan for the Endgame: Plots, Protests, Scandals and Assassinations

- Pawns in Cities lobbed with Bombs: Events leading to the Plaza Miranda Bombing

- Hijacking Democracy: The Mood before the Declaration of Martial Law

- September 21, 1972: When Martial Law Had to Wait for One More Day

- Like a Thief in the Night: Martial Law Implemented on September 22, 1972

Video above: 

The TV Broadcast of President Ferdinand Marcos as it was shown on September 23, 1972, 7:15 p.m.

Bibliography

Abaya, Hernando. The Making of a Subversive: A Memoir. Quezon City: New Day Publishers.

Enrile, Juan Ponce. Juan Ponce Enrile: A Memoir. Quezon City, ABS-CBN Publishing Inc., 2012.

Espiritu, Augusto, “September 23, 1972,” Philippine Diary Project, link.

De Quiros, Conrado. Dead Aim: How Marcos Ambushed Philippine Democracy. Pasig City: Foundation for Worldwide People’s Power, Inc., 1997.

Marcos, Ferdinand, “September 23, 1972, 12:20 p.m.” Philippine Diary Project, link.

Mijares, Primitivo. The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. San Francisco: Union Square Publications, 1976.

Rodrigo, Raul. Phoenix: The Saga of the Lopez Family Volume 1: 1800 - 1972. Manila: The Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Inc., 2000.

Salonga, Jovito. A Journey of Struggle and Hope: The Memoir of Jovito R. Salonga. Quezon City: U.P. Center for Leadership, Citizenship and Democracy, 2001.

Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines. Dateline Manila. Pasig: Anvil Publishing, Inc., 2007.

Santos, Vergel O. Chino and His Time. Pasig: Anvil Publishing House, Inc., 2010.

Tolentino, Arturo. Voice of Dissent. Quezon City: Phoenix Press, Inc., 1990.

[starsbehindmyeyelids]

I am both in your heart and in your mind. I am in two places at once.

- in two places at once by clarizza a. (via starsbehindmyeyelids)

[lolphilpol]

Kintahay na madakpan mo nga walay tarong nga dahilan, nia ra ang mga nunmero nga pwede ninyo tawagan para makapangayo mo ug tabang.

——

In case you’ll get arrested for no proper reason, here are the numbers you can call so you can seek assistance.

‪#‎SIGNALBOOST‬ ‪#‎StopTheKillings‬ ‪#‎KatarunganHindiKarahasan‬

Source

[apolionariomabini]

It was a murder but not a crime

President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte on the victims of extrajudicial killings in the country

[ruscano]

be an alejandrino in this janolino world

[dettsu]

KARTON akda at guhit ni Det Guiamoy

Gabi-gabi, sa mga eskinitang ‘di naaabutan ng liwanang ng buwan may mga walang kamuwang-muwang

Dinadakip Kinukuha Walang kamuwang-muwang

Gabi-gabi, sa aspaltong tigmak sa lamig ang pagdaloy ng ligamgam na dugong pinandilig

Bulag ba tayo para ‘di makakita? Manhid ba tayo para ‘di makaramdam?

Gabi-gabi, sa balita, sa usap-usapan, sa haka-haka sa kapirasong karton

Tunay ba itong maituturing na patibay Na ang nasasakdal sa pagkakasala ay dapat ipapatay?

Walang paglilitis Walang alinlangan Walang kinalaman Walang kaalam-alam Walang kamuwang-muwang

Gabi-gabi, sa mga taingang bingi sa mga ‘di na maaaninagan ng liwanag ng buwan

Magsasalita pa rin kami at hinding-hindi mananahimik hanggang sa ang hustisya ay tayo nama'y lingunin maulinigan man lamang ang mga boses na 'di na maririnig

Gabi-gabi, paano ka nakakatulog sa kaalamang may ibang hindi na magigising?

Ang pagbabagong parating ay hindi na makikita bukas kung ang mga karapata'y sa gabi pa lamang ay kinukuha kung ang mga mata'y 'di na mumulat sa susunod na umaga

CARDBOARD LABELS written and drawn by Det Guiamoy (English translation)

Every night, in the alleyways never lit by the moonlight are the unknowing

Abducted Taken Unknowingly

Every night, on the cold of the asphalt roads flows the warmth of pure thick blood

Are we too blind to see? Are we too numb to feel?

Every night, in the news, in conversations, in gossip in weathered cardboard labels

Are guesses and accusations proof enough That alleged souls be sentenced to their last breath?

No court No doubt Just crime Just death Unjust, unknowingly

Every night, to deaf ears to those who will never see the moonlight

We will still speak and we will never be silent until Justice will eventually turn to us when she hears the voices we will never hear again

Every night, how do you manage to sleep knowing they will never wake?

The coming change will never be seen tomorrow if our rights are taken in the dark of night if our eyes will never open the next morning

Para sa mga napagkamalan, napagtripan, napaglaruan, napagbuhusan ng galit na hindi naman karapat-dapat sa kanila.

Lahat ng tao ay may karapatang mabuhay, may karapatan sa pangalawang pagkakataon, gaano man kabigat ang kasalanan. Ituon natin sa paghilom at paglunas ang ating lakas at hindi sa karahasan at pagpaslang. Ang mga mahihirap ang nasasadlak sa walang katarungang pagpatay, mga mahihirap na hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataong mabuhay nang disente at kumpleto ang pangangailangan.

Hindi naman magiging laganap ang krimen kung nakakakain ang mga tao nang tatlong beses isang araw, nakakapasok sa eskwelahan at natutustusan ang mga pangangailangan.

Isang digmaan laban sa mga mahihirap ang nagaganap, at hindi naman ang mga tunay na utak sa pagpapalaganap ng pinagbabawal na gamot ang nahuhuli at napapatay ng mga awtoridad. Ngunit nagsisimula naman ang pagbabago sa pagsuko, sa pag-amin ng pagkakamali, at pagpasok sa rehab upang magbago. Huwag nating ipagkait sa mga nalulong sa masasamang bisyo ang pagkakataong maging mas mabuting tao na maaaring magsilbi sa bayan sa hinaharap.

Kahit naman may mga kasalanan ay hindi dapat pinapatawan kaagad ng kamatayan, sang-ayon man kayo o hindi sa death penalty. Dahil lahat ng tao ay may karapatan sa paglilitis sa hukuman, upang matuklasan ang kanilang mga hinaing, mga dahilan kung bakit nangyayari at ginagawa ang mga bagay-bagay. Kung may pagkakamali ay ikulong at patawan ng karampatang parusa, at ang mga nakakaalam lamang ng dapat gawin ay ang mga hukom at alagad ng batas. (Sana lang ay ginagawa nila nang maayos ang kanilang mga trabaho.)

Kung “anti” man ako sa kahit ano, ako ay anti-human rights violations, anti-vigilantism, anti-summary execution, at anti-extrajudicial killings. Hindi sa kung sino mang tao. Dahil kahit wala tayong ginagawang mali, maaari pa ding ma-frame up or kung anu man upang mapagbintangan. Dahil kapag nasabitan ka na ng karton sa leeg na nagsasabing nakagawa ka ng kasalanan, hindi mo na maipagtatanggol ang iyong sarili. Hindi na nakakapagsalaysay ang patay.

Tayo ang mga natitirang Joven Hernando. Tayo ang kabataan. Tayo ang mamamayang Pilipino. Naniniwala ako sa tamang proseso nang pagsasagawa ng batas. Naniniwala ako na tunay ang paparating na pagbabago.

Naniniwala ako sa due process.

#cardboardjustice #LahatTayoPosiblengDrugPusher #StopSummaryExecution #StopExtrajudicialKillings #SantaPatronaAdrienneOnday

[dettsu]

Updated with an English version of the poem!

[apolionariomabini]

Ang sakit sakit na ng puso ko. Ayoko na dito.

[marmastry]

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY~! //FOR FILIPINOS OUT THERE HAHA

some historical figures: 

1. Jose Rizal, Josephine Bracken, Melchora Aquino (tandang sora) 2. Gabriela Silang, Gregoria de Jesus and  Andres Bonifacio 3. Juan and Antonio Luna

—–

commission is open

[trait-deactivated20221010]

BREXIT: what the heck does it all mean?

A lot of people have no clue why Europe is currently in a state of uproar and the only word people seem to be saying is “Brexit” so here’s a not-so-quick and easy-breezy explanation on the past 24 hours of CHAOS that has ensued:

The European Union (EU): an organisation of European countries that follows similar laws, allows for freedom of movement/labour, easy travelling (@people who planned on doing Eurotrips, not sure if you can count the UK in that anymore!) and trade with each other. The EU is important because before it was formed, the European continent was ravaged by 2 world wars, and a division because of the Cold War. This organisation has provided all the stability we’ve seen in the past 40-odd years.

So what the heck is a “Brexit”? Basically, the UK has just voted to leave the EU. Now this doesn’t seem like a TERRIBLE thing, but there are some serious political and economic consequences.

Economic implications:

- The British pound crashed from 1.5 to 1.3 in 6 hours, the lowest value in 30 years, which in turn affected the US dollar which affects all other global currencies. I wish I was joking but I’m not: South Africa, Poland, Norway, Mexico. Hungary, Australia, Switzerland all saw their currencies plummet. Countries that don’t rely on exports as their means of production cannot have a devalued currency. IT’s not good. The Japanese Yen which has been strengthening reached an all-time high which is terrible because Japan is trying to reverse its deflationary state. The Bank of Japan is now out of options and Japan literally STOPPED TRADING IN BRITISH STOCKS/INVESTMENTS.

- A devalued GBP means that the Bank of England is going to have to hike interest rates to prevent inflation (domestic prices going up even further) whicH WILL CAUSE A RECESSION. SOUND FAMILIAR ANYONE? YEAH. FINANCIAL CRISES.

- The UK leaving the EU means its market has gone down a LOT in size making them a less attractive destination for trade partners/investors. They’re going to have to draw up new trade agreements with basically the whole world since all their trade was previously tied to the EU. This will be tricky because countries liked having a market with a population of ~500 million compared to the UK’s size of ~50 million.

- GDP will go down. Retirement income will go down. The British economy is in a state of panic. The global economy is basically, fucked. For now at least.

The thing is, given the precarious nature of the economy right now with markets out of control and stagnant growth practically everywhere, it was a really really bad time to have this referendum - a lot of countries have been banking on a “Bremain” before making their next move when it comes to monetary/fiscal policy. The IMF has predicted that 2016/2017 will see the worst years for growth, but we might see upward growth trends from 2018 onwards.

So how does it still get worse?

- Scotland showed an overwhelming majority of votes to remain in the EU. It’s likely that they’re going to call for a referendum (again) to leave the UK so that they can join the EU as an independent country.

- Northern Ireland also wanted to stay in the EU. It’s likely they’re going to join the Republic and join the EU.

- Not sure about Wales. They could go “haha fuck it mate” and potentially leave the UK too.

- David Cameron has just announced that he will be resigning in 3 months which means that extreme conservatives who managed to sway the vote in favour of Leave could come to power. That’s right. We’ll be stuck to suffer with the likes of Farage and Johnson. 

- Brexit triggered a lot of nationalist/extreme right-wing movements in the rest of Europe. Some leaders already calling for “Frexit” (France), “Itexit” (Italy) and..”Dexit” (Netherlands)? We may see more in the next few days.. A disintegration of Europe is risky business because Europe has not been able to remain stable until the EU was formed. This could give way for an aggressive Russia too, who would want to take advantage of weak/vulnerable European states. An aggressive Russia will trigger US skepticism and we all know how that goes. 

SO HOW DID THE GOVERNMENT LET THIS HAPPEN?

Basically David Cameron came up with the idea for the referendum because he was desperate to gain support from anti-EU parties like UKIP during the general elections last year. Except now he’s resigning. So. 

During the campaign, Michael Gove, Boris Johnson (conservatives) and Nigel Farage (UKIP) stressed on immigration laws if the UK leaves the EU because immigration/refugees have been a big problem for the UK as its reducing jobs being given to UK locals/residents and they think the UK is becoming “overcrowded” so the Leave campaign was like WE WILL TIGHTEN OUR BORDERS! YEAH! Except now they’ve displaced millions of UK citizens living/working in the rest of the EU. Let’s see how they figure that one out.

Additionally, they talked about the economic benefits because if the UK were to leave, they would be able to allot the money that goes to the EU to other things like the NHS (national healthcare) etc. The Leave campaign went on about how the UK spends 350 million pounds a week on the EU but actually it spends less than half of that, so really, their campaign was built on scaremongering and lies. 

Article 50, aka the means of exiting will be triggered in 3 months when the new Prime Minister is announced (most likely one of the extreme conservatives/Farage who are riding high on their “Independence Day” fuckery which is even more proof of xenophobic, colonialist bullshit) after which the UK will have 2 years to complete its official withdrawal so hopefully that will provide short-term stability.

But the world is in a dark place right now and everything is terrible. 

I KNOW ITS LONG BUT PLEASE READ THIS IS IMPORTANT THIS IS GOING TO GO IN HISTORY TEXTBOOKS

[personalmephistopheles]

@silencingthedrums this is a long post but it pretty much lays it all out pretty much better than I could and with less profanity than I’d have used.

[tardis-impala]

no offense but this year, politically, across the entire globe, has been an absolute joke