Six Things to Know About the Martial Law in the Philippines

Summary

The video script delves into the martial law era in the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos, from its 1972 inception to the regime's 1981 end. It highlights Marcos's initial popularity, the suspension of human rights, media censorship, and the severe economic decline. The script also discusses the Marcos family's extravagant lifestyle amid widespread poverty, the eventual public outcry leading to Marcos's ousting, and the surprising election of Marcos's son as the current president, reflecting a revisionist view of history.

Takeaways

• 🕊️ Martial law in the Philippines began in 1972 under President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who claimed it was necessary for peace and protection of the citizens.
• 🏅 Imelda Marcos, known as the 'Iron Butterfly,' gained notoriety for her extravagant lifestyle and scandalous shoe collection during a period of national turmoil.
• 🗳️ Marcos's re-election in 1969 was marred by bribery, threats, and violence, marking one of the most corrupt elections in Philippine history.
• 🌐 The 1960s saw a rise in nationalism and public demand for social and economic reforms, leading to student demonstrations and political unrest.
• 🚨 Marcos used martial law to suspend human rights, targeting political opponents, journalists, and activists, leading to widespread arrests and torture.
• 📰 Media censorship was a key tool for Marcos to control information and suppress dissent, with the government seizing media assets and controlling content.
• 📉 Martial law had a detrimental effect on the Philippine economy, with increased poverty, inflation, unemployment, and a massive rise in external debt.
• 🏞️ Environmental issues such as deforestation were exacerbated during Marcos's regime, causing significant damage to the country's natural resources.
• 🏛️ Despite officially ending in 1981, Marcos retained power and many martial law decrees, maintaining a tight grip on the country until his ousting.
• 🔄 The Marcos family has managed to rewrite history for some segments of the population, portraying the martial law era as a 'Golden Age' in Philippine history.
• 🗳️ Marcos's son, Bongbong Marcos, was elected President in 2022, reflecting a successful political comeback for the family despite past controversies.

Q & A

When did martial law begin in the Philippines?

Martial law in the Philippines began in 1972, declared by President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

What was the public's initial reaction to the declaration of martial law?

The public generally favored the move, as it was believed to reduce violent crime and suppress communist insurgents.

What was Marcos's justification for declaring martial law?

Marcos declared martial law claiming it was necessary to protect his people and bring about peace in the Philippines, citing threats from violent student demonstrations, a potential communist uprising, and the Muslim separatist movement.

How did martial law impact human rights in the Philippines?

Martial law was used to suspend human rights, with Marcos targeting anyone who opposed him, leading to arrests without warrants, indefinite detentions, and widespread torture and abuse.

What was the term used for the practice of mutilating and publicly dumping the bodies of victims?

The practice was known as 'salvaging' and was used as a warning to others.

How did martial law affect the media in the Philippines?

Martial law led to the censorship of the media, with Marcos seizing the assets of major national media outlets and prohibiting any critical content of law enforcement or the military.

What was the economic impact of martial law on the Philippines?

Martial law had a negative effect on the Philippine economy, with increased poverty levels, inflation, unemployment, and external debt, as well as a decline in living standards.

When did martial law officially end in the Philippines?

Martial law officially ended in 1981 with Marcos's Proclamation 2045.

What happened to Marcos after the end of martial law?

After the end of martial law, Marcos was ousted from power following a public outcry over the results of a snap election, and he fled to Hawaii with his family.

How has the Marcos family's reputation been portrayed in recent years?

The Marcos family has managed to rewrite history, creating a myth that the years of martial law were a 'Golden Age' in the Philippines, and Marcos's son, Bongbong, was elected as the President of the Philippines in 2022.

What was the role of Imelda Marcos during the martial law period?

Imelda Marcos, the wife of Ferdinand E. Marcos, wielded significant power and was known as the 'Iron Butterfly.' She earned international infamy, particularly for her scandalous shoe collection, while behind the scenes, a history of torture, murder, and corruption took place.

What was the role of the New People's Army (NPA) during the martial law period?

The New People's Army, an armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), was created in 1969 and was involved in the anti-imperialist struggle for national independence, employing violence and guerrilla tactics.

What was the Palembang massacre, and how was it related to martial law?

The Palembang massacre in 1974 was a civilian massacre where government forces razed a coastal village to the ground, killing an estimated 1,500 males and destroying 300 homes, which occurred during the martial law period.

How did the Marcos regime handle foreign journalists during martial law?

Foreign journalists were often expelled from the Philippines for 'false reporting' or denied visas altogether, effectively controlling the flow of information to the outside world.

What was the impact of martial law on the Filipino people's access to information?

The Filipino people were cut off from the rest of the world and each other, only knowing what Marcos wanted to broadcast, as all media was controlled and censored by the Marcos regime.

What was the role of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) during the martial law period?

The MNLF was a Muslim separatist movement that emerged in the early 1970s, seeking to establish an independent and democratic Islamic state and employing violence and guerrilla tactics in their campaign.

What was the official number of people tortured and abused during the martial law period?

The Philippines officially recognized that over 11,000 people were tortured and abused during the martial law period, although Amnesty International estimates suggest the true number may be around 50,000.

Outlines

00:00

🇵🇭 Introduction to Martial Law in the Philippines

This paragraph introduces the period of martial law in the Philippines under President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who was elected in 1965 and reelected in 1969 amidst allegations of corruption and violence. It sets the stage for the declaration of martial law in 1972, which was initially supported by the public due to promises of peace and order. The paragraph also touches on the historical context of Filipino nationalism and the public's dissatisfaction with corruption, leading to student protests and the rise of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front. The summary highlights Marcos's consolidation of power, the establishment of a parliamentary system with himself as both president and prime minister, and the initial public support for martial law due to its perceived success in reducing crime and suppressing insurgents.

05:03

🛡️ Martial Law's Suppression of Human Rights

The second paragraph delves into the darker aspects of martial law, focusing on the Marcos regime's suspension of human rights. It details how Marcos used martial law to target political opponents, leading to widespread arrests without warrants or trials. The regime's tactics included 'salvaging,' where victims were mutilated and their bodies left in public as a warning. The paragraph provides specific examples of individuals who were tortured or killed, such as Santiago Matela and Lorena Barros, and mentions the high number of estimated detainees and victims of torture. It also discusses the regime's use of propaganda to maintain control and the fear it instilled in the population.

10:07

📰 Censorship and Control of the Media

This paragraph discusses the Marcos regime's crackdown on the media as part of its efforts to suppress dissent and control information. It describes how Marcos seized media assets and accused journalists of spreading anti-government propaganda. The regime's censorship extended to requiring all news to have 'positive national value' and prohibiting criticism of law enforcement or the military. The paragraph also notes the impact on media personnel, with thousands losing their jobs and many being detained. The result was a controlled information environment where the public was cut off from the outside world and only received news that Marcos wanted them to hear.

📉 Economic Decline During Martial Law

The fourth paragraph addresses the negative impact of martial law on the Philippine economy. It outlines the increase in poverty, inflation, unemployment, and external debt during this period. Despite initial growth, the country eventually faced its worst post-war recession, largely due to the Marcos government's massive debt accumulation. The paragraph contrasts the suffering of the majority of the population with the opulence of the Marcos family, who amassed a fortune while in office. It also mentions the ongoing efforts to recover the stolen wealth and the lack of accountability for the misuse of international aid and Central Bank gold.

🏛️ The End of Martial Law and Marcos's Legacy

The final paragraph covers the official end of martial law in 1981 and its aftermath. It discusses the continued grip of Marcos on power despite the lifting of martial law and the controversial elections that followed. The assassination of Benigno Aquino and the subsequent public outcry led to Marcos's ousting. The paragraph also reflects on the return of the Marcos family to political power with the election of Marcos's son, Bongbong, as President in 2022. It highlights the family's efforts to rewrite history and the challenges faced by fact-checkers in countering misinformation during the campaign. The paragraph ends with a call to action for viewers to learn more about history and the Philippines through suggested resources.

Keywords

💡Martial Law

Martial law refers to the imposition of military control over civilian functions of government, usually in response to a crisis or threat to security. In the video's context, it denotes the period from 1972 to 1981 in the Philippines under Ferdinand E. Marcos, where Marcos suspended the constitution and civil liberties to suppress dissent and maintain his power. The script describes martial law as a period of torture, murder, and corruption, illustrating its oppressive nature.

💡Imelda Marcos

Imelda Marcos, the wife of Ferdinand E. Marcos, is known for her extravagant lifestyle and infamous shoe collection, which became a symbol of the couple's corruption. The video mentions her as having significant power during the martial law period and earning the nickname 'Iron Butterfly,' highlighting her role in the Marcos regime and its excesses.

💡Ferdinand E. Marcos

Ferdinand E. Marcos was the President of the Philippines who declared martial law in 1972. The video script describes his rise to power, his controversial re-election, and the subsequent declaration of martial law as a means to extend his rule. His regime was marked by corruption, human rights abuses, and a significant economic decline.

💡Human Rights Suspension

The suspension of human rights under martial law involved the arrest and detention of political opponents, journalists, and activists without trial. The video script details the government's targeting of individuals who opposed Marcos, the use of torture, and the practice of 'salvaging,' which involved the murder and public display of bodies to intimidate others.

💡Censorship

Censorship in the context of the video refers to the control and suppression of media by Marcos's regime to prevent dissent and control public opinion. The script mentions the seizure of media assets, the detention of media personnel, and the requirement for all news to be approved by government agencies, effectively silencing free speech.

💡Economic Decline

The video script discusses the negative impact of martial law on the Philippine economy, including increased poverty, inflation, unemployment, and external debt. It contrasts the suffering of the majority of the population with the Marcos family's amassing of wealth, illustrating the economic disparity and mismanagement during this period.

💡Student Activism

Student activism, as mentioned in the video, was a driving force behind the call for political change in the Philippines during the 1960s. The script describes how students demonstrated against corrupt officials and called for a restructuring of political power, which contributed to the social unrest that Marcos used as a pretext for declaring martial law.

💡Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)

The CPP, as discussed in the video, was formed in response to political upheaval and called for an anti-imperialist struggle for national independence. The script highlights the CPP and its armed wing, the New People's Army, as part of the perceived threats that Marcos cited to justify martial law.

💡Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)

The MNLF was a Muslim separatist movement that sought to establish an independent Islamic state in the Philippines. The video script mentions the MNLF as one of the groups that Marcos claimed threatened the peace and lawfulness of the country, using this as a justification for martial law.

💡Propaganda

Propaganda in the video refers to the Marcos regime's use of media and misinformation to manipulate public opinion and maintain control. The script describes how Marcos used propaganda to convince the public that martial law was necessary for peace and order, despite its oppressive nature.

💡Bongbong Marcos

Bongbong Marcos, the son of Ferdinand E. Marcos, is mentioned in the video as the current President of the Philippines, elected in 2022. The script discusses the Marcos family's efforts to rewrite history and create a myth of a 'Golden Age' during martial law, which contributed to Bongbong Marcos's election victory.

Highlights

Imelda Marcos, known as the 'Iron Butterfly', was infamous for her extravagant lifestyle and shoe collection during a period of corruption and martial law in the Philippines.

Martial law in the Philippines began in 1972 under President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who was accused of smuggling, tax evasion, and corruption.

Marcos declared martial law to protect his power, citing threats from student demonstrations, communist uprisings, and the Muslim separatist movement.

Martial law was initially seen as a measure to restore law and order, but it quickly became a tool for Marcos to suspend human rights and suppress dissent.

Opposition to Marcos was met with arrests, indefinite detentions, and torture of political detainees, including students, journalists, and activists.

Amnesty International estimates around 50,000 people were detained under Martial Law from 1972-1975, with over 11,000 officially recognized as tortured and abused.

The government under Marcos censored the media, seizing assets of major outlets and controlling all content to eliminate free speech.

The martial law period saw a significant decline in the Philippine economy, with increased poverty, inflation, unemployment, and external debt.

Martial law officially ended in 1981 with Proclamation 2045, but Marcos retained power and many of the decrees remained in effect.

Despite the end of martial law, Marcos's grip on the country continued, with elections criticized for being rigged in his favor.

The assassination of Benigno Aquino in 1983 led to increased pressure and a snap election, resulting in Marcos's ousting.

Marcos's family fled to Hawaii with an estimated $15 million in jewels and cash, highlighting the extent of their corruption.

Marcos's son, Bongbong, was elected President of the Philippines in 2022, reflecting a successful rebranding of the family's history.

The Marcos family has been accused of spreading misinformation and propaganda to rewrite history and gain political support.

The video encourages viewers to learn more about history to better understand the present and predict the future.

Transcripts

While you may not know much about the  period of martial law in the Philippines,  

you would have probably heard about Imelda  Marcos and her legendarily scandalous shoe  

collection. Imelda wielded a significant amount  of power from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s,  

and her fashion and style earned her  the nickname the "Iron Butterfly,” as  

well as international infamy. But behind the  superficial stories lies a history of torture,  

murder, and corruption, so continue watching to  discover six things you should know about martial  

law in the Philippines. 1. It began in 1972. 

In 1965, Ferdinand E. Marcos was  elected president of the Philippines.  

Although his administration was guilty of  smuggling, tax evasion, and corruption,  

he won reelection in 1969. Marcos's reelection  was primarily due to bribery and threats,  

and the election was described as the most violent  and corrupt by Newsweek and Time magazines. 

Since the late 1800s, the Filipinos had  been trying to form their own identity,  

separate from the Spanish and British colonialists  that had historically dominated the country,  

and the 1960s brought a resurgence of nationalism.  Furthermore, they were tired of corrupt officials,  

and the Filipino people demanded that  the government meet their social and  

economic needs. Students started demonstrating,  calling for a restructuring of political power. 

By 1971, Marcos only had two years of his  eight years in office left, but he was in  

no way inclined to give up his position. He  tried to push for a parliamentary style of  

government to extend his administration's rule.  In September of 1972, he declared martial law,  

claiming it was necessary to protect his people  and bring about peace in the Philippines. 

The public generally favored the move,  and Marcos's regime reduced violent crime  

in urban areas, confiscated unregistered  firearms, and suppressed some communist  

insurgents. But following the declaration  of martial law in 1972, Marcos declared  

a new parliamentary system in which he was  both the president and the prime minister. 

2. It was supposed to restore  law and order to the Philippines. 

In September 1972, Marcos announced  the establishment of martial law via  

Proclamation 1081. He stated it would  build a new society that guaranteed  

the citizens' safety against lawlessness  and protected the republic's authority.  

Marcos cited the increasingly violent student  demonstrations, threats of a communist uprising,  

and the Muslim separatist movement as threats  to peace and lawfulness in the Philippines. 

These claims were not wholly unfounded, as student  activism was on the rise, caused by growing  

unemployment rates and economic decline. The  cry for political upheaval led to the Communist  

Party of the Philippines forming in December of  1968. It was established by Jose Maria Sison,  

a leading youth activist, who called for "workers  and peasants to lead the anti-imperialist struggle  

for national independence." Furthermore, an armed  wing of the CPP – the New People's Army – was  

created in 1969. There was also a Muslim  separatist movement that had sprung up in the  

early 1970s called the Moro National Liberation  Front. They wanted to establish an independent  

and democratic Islamic state and employed  violence and guerrilla tactics in their campaign. 

On the face of it, martial law reduced violent  crime, suppressed communist insurgency,  

and confiscated unregistered firearms.  Marcos's flair for propaganda worked,  

and some of the Philippine population felt  martial law was necessary to keep peace and order. 

3. The government used it to suspend human rights. It wasn't long before the real motivation for  

declaring martial law became painfully clear. All  of the groups that Marcos asserted threatened law  

and order in the Philippines also threatened  his stranglehold on the country. The call for  

democracy went against his plans to stay  in power for as long as possible, and by  

declaring martial law, he now had no democratic  limitations to hamper his ambitions. Essentially,  

he became a dictator along with his wife  Imelda, and they enjoyed a quality of life  

that most Filipinos could not even hope to attain. One of Marcos's first actions after implementing  

martial law was to target anyone who opposed  him. Students, political opponents, journalists,  

academics, and activists were arrested and dubbed  "political detainees," allowing Marcos's military  

regime to hold people indefinitely without  needing to charge them or conduct a trial. 

People were arrested in their homes without  warrants or any background information beyond  

their names on a list. Corruption was rife, and  arresting officers could insert any names onto the  

list without further investigation. Although  people were afraid to speak out at the time,  

countless stories have come out since Marcos  was ousted from power. Twenty-two-year-old  

Santiago Matela was playing basketball in the  street when soldiers dragged him off in 1977.  

He endured months of torture while authorities  tried to make him confess to being a communist.  

Lorena Barros was a university teacher who was  one of 63 student leaders charged with subversion;  

she was shot and killed at age 28. Loretta Ann  Rosales was arrested and tortured for criticizing  

the regime. There are countless stories like this,  and the Philippines have officially recognized  

that over 11,000 people were tortured and abused  during this period. However, the true number of  

victims may be much higher. Amnesty International  estimates that around 50,000 people were detained  

under Martial Law from 1972-1975 alone. Some victims were mutilated before their  

bodies were dumped in public places as a  warning to others in a practice that came  

to be known as "salvaging." Officers  enforcing martial law participated in  

various torture methods designed to degrade  the victim, including psychological, sexual,  

and physical torture. High-level government  officials were tortured in solitary confinement,  

and many detainees who were interrogated were  subsequently released without charges. However,  

they were unable to hold anyone to account for  their mistreatment. Those were the lucky ones. 

There were many civilian massacres throughout  the regime, even after martial law ended. At  

least two were officially reported; the  first was the Palembang massacre in 1974,  

when a coastal village was razed to the ground  by government forces. According to a 2014 report  

by MindaNews, native Muslim men were shot while  women and young children were arrested. The report  

found that an estimated 1,500 males (ages 11 to  70) were murdered inside the Malisbong mosque,  

while 300 homes were destroyed. A second massacre occurred in 1977 in  

the village of Bingcul. A 1980 Associated  Press report described how uniformed men  

ordered twelve families out of their homes and  made them squat on the ground before opening  

fire. One adult managed to escape with three  children, but forty-two villagers were killed. 

4. The media was censored. Marcos essentially wanted  

to end democracy in the Philippines in favor of  kleptocracy, and to do this, he needed to stamp  

out free speech. He understood the importance  of the free press and its role in providing  

information to citizens. After declaring martial  law, one of his first acts was to seize the assets  

of the major national media outlets. He justified  this military takeover of the media by accusing  

the media of spreading anti-government propaganda,  and he sequestered the facilities of newspapers,  

radio stations, and television studios. He accused the major networks of conspiring  

with the Communist Party and claimed they were  plotting to overthrow the government. He stated  

they "had been used as indispensable instruments  in the assassination attempt against the President  

of the Republic of the Philippines by maligning  him." According to reports from the International  

Press Institute and the Press Foundation of  Asia, nearly 10,000 people lost their jobs. 

Armed soldiers began detaining anyone related to  media output, including editors, journalists, and  

radio and television personnel. The Department of  Public Information decreed that news reports had  

to be "of positive national value" and prohibited  any media outlets from being critical of law  

enforcement or the military. Any content had to  be approved by governmental agencies before being  

published or aired, including foreign dispatches. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s,  

all Philippine media, including religious  publications, were controlled by Marcos. Many  

foreign journalists were expelled from  the Philippines for "false reporting,"  

and more still were denied visas altogether. The people of the Philippines were essentially  

cut off from the rest of the world and each other.  They only knew what Marcos wanted to broadcast and  

the rumors of the torture and dumped mutilated  bodies of those who opposed the government. 

5. It had a negative effect  on the Philippine economy. 

Despite recent claims to the contrary, economic  data from the period shows there was a significant  

decline in living standards during the time  of martial law. Poverty levels increased,  

along with inflation, unemployment, and external  debt. Wages decreased for farmers and workers,  

and environmental issues included  massive deforestation that destroyed  

almost half of the country's forest cover. In the early years of Marcos's regime,  

the Philippines' Gross Domestic Product grew  by a marginal amount; however, by the 1980s,  

the country was plunged into its worst post-war  recession. This economic slump was in no small  

part due to the massive amount of debt amassed by  the Marcos government, and between 1977 and 1982,  

the external debt of the Philippines  rose from $8.2 billion to $24.4 billion. 

While 40% of the nation survived on less  than $2 a day, the Marcos lived in luxury,  

amassing a $10 billion fortune while in  office. To date, the Philippine agency,  

the Presidential Commission on Good Government,  has only managed to recover a fraction of what  

was stolen by the Marcos family, and despite  it being common knowledge that Marcos stole  

international aid money and gold from the Central  Bank, no one has been charged with the crime. 

6. It officially ended in 1981. After years of increasing opposition,  

Marcos made Proclamation 2045 in January  1981, officially ending martial law. This  

move was spurred on by the withdrawal of support  from the Catholic Church and Marcos's failing  

health. However, he retained all his power  and kept many decrees made under martial law. 

Despite officially ending martial law, Marcos kept  a firm grip on the country. Elections held under  

martial law were widely criticized, and many  believed the results had been altered to favor  

Marcos. In 1983, one of Marcos's political  rivals – Benigno Aquino – was assassinated  

by what was thought to be the military after  returning from exile. Both international and  

national pressure mounted, which forced Marcos  to call a snap election. His opponent was a  

coalition of parties led by Benigno's widow,  Corazon. Marcos officially won the election,  

but the result caused such public outcry that it  ended in a revolt, and Marcos was ousted. However,  

the Marcos family was prepared for such an outcome  and absconded to Hawaii with around $15 million of  

jewels, clothes, and freshly printed banknotes. Perhaps the most shocking part of this story is  

that Marcos's son and namesake is currently  the President of the Philippines after being  

elected in 2022. After thirty years of Philippine  governments that have failed to improve living  

standards, the Marcos family has managed to  rewrite history and create a myth that the  

years of martial law were a "Golden Age" in the  Philippines. Targeting voters born after Marcos  

Sr. was deposed, the new presidential campaign  seemed to take a page right out of his playbook,  

spreading so much misinformation that  fact-checkers struggled to stem the  

flow of propaganda. It appears their slick  marketing worked wonders, and Marcos Jr.,  

known as Bongbong, won with just over 58% of  votes. Time will tell if he will be able to  

absolve his family of their horrendous actions,  but it seems as though he has already charmed  

the majority of the younger Philippine voters. How would you like to get a deeper understanding  

of history, impress your friends, and predict  the future more accurately based on past events? 

If this sounds like something you  might be into, then check out the  

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