MARTIAL LAW 40 YEARS AND BEYOND: THE PEOPLE’S CONTINUING DEFIANCE AGAINST STATE TERROR

Quezon Province Philippines -- SEPTEMBER 20, 2012— At least a hundred of militants from Southern Tagalog region launched a caravan to Manila to commemorate the declaration of Martial Law forty years ago. As early as 7:00 am, the group gathered at UPLB gate and launched a short program.

The caravan was organized by the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog (BAYAN-ST). “We commemorate the declaration of Martial Law in our week long protest in the region, for up to now justice was not yet served to the victims of human rights violations during the Marcos era.” BAYAN-ST said on their statement.

A protest action in front of the Department of National Defense headquarters was also conducted. “We gather here in front of the headquarters of butchers and executioners since the Marcos dictatorship and up to the present regime. We condemn this institution and held them liable for the gross human rights violation during the dark ages of martial law and until now with the administration’s Oplan Bayanihan.”

Despite of Aquino’s posturing as champions of martial law; it cannot be denied that the mass movement has the significant contribution in trampling the Marcos regime. It is an outright lie for Aquino to take credit on the victory of the Anti-Marcos struggle while he and his minions continue the militarist way in addressing dissent against his administration.

BAYAN-ST pointed out that in the region alone, ballooning number of extra-judicial kiilings, illegal arrest, and harassment, among any other forms of HRVs, intense militarization were being experienced in Southern Quezon and Bondoc Peninsula. For the group, there is a continuing de facto Martial Law, and it is an urgent task for the people to expose and oppose this kind of government.

The group will be joining the national mobilization later this afternoon to prepare a bigger mobilization on September 21, the exact date when Martial Law was declared.