Echoing the online call to #NeverForget, several progressive groups from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao staged protests in their own localities to mark the 48th anniversary of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ declaration of Martial Law on Monday, September 21.
Fearing that President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration mirrors the late dictator’s oppressive policies and human rights violations, groups called on Filipinos to continue safeguarding democracy and resisting authoritarian leaders even decades after Marcos’ nearly 10-year long military rule.
They clamored against recent political attacks against activists, the enactment of the “draconian” anti-terror law, and the rejection of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal – all of which took place during Duterte’s term.
Protesters observed strict physical distancing and wore face masks to ensure safety during the protest actions and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Metro Manila
Human rights activists, sectoral organizations, and progressive groups such as Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo, Anakbayan, and Katribu UPD, together with students from various Lumad schools, held a protest action on Monday along Quezon Hall at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman.
Photos of Marcos served as markers along the streets of Quezon Hall to enforce physical distancing.
Katribu UP Diliman displayed commemorative masks with the names of the victims killed during the Jabidah massacre.
An effigy of Duterte as a virus made by youth groups also paraded through the streets as the groups slammed the administration’s COVID-19 response.
LOOK: Youth sectors parade their Duterte-looking virus protest art, as a metaphor for the government’s failure to respond to the current public health crisis. #NeverAgain #NeverForget | via @tinigngplaridel pic.twitter.com/LSmicNXcil
— MovePH (@MovePH) September 21, 2020
Cavite
In Cavite, various progressive groups reminded the public to #NeverForget the horrors of Martial Law, as they gathered along Governor’s Drive corner Aguinaldo Highway in Dasmariñas City.
Drawing parallels between the Duterte regime and the Marcos dictatorship, the groups slammed anti-democratic policies under the current administration, and called for the junking of the anti-terror law and the release of all political prisoners.
Laguna
In Laguna, meanwhile, multisectoral groups from the University of the Philippines Los Baňos (UPLB) gathered at the UPLB Carabao Park as they recounted the thousands of human rights violations during Martial Law.
“Taliwas sa pinaniniwalaang golden era ang panahon ni Marcos, dahil puro pahirap ang natamo ng mga Pilipino. Libo-libo ang nangyaring human rights violations. Libo-libo ang nawala at ‘di pa rin natatagpuan,” said the Kabataan Partylist Southern Tagalog.
(The Marcos era isn’t the golden era in the Philippines, because Filipinos suffered a lot back then. Thousands of human rights violations were committed. Until now, thousands of Fiipinos are still missing.)
Considered as one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history, Marcos’ Martial Law left 3,240 people killed, 34,000 tortured, and 70,000 imprisoned based on data reported by Amnesty International.
Baguio City
In Baguio City, progressive youth and sectoral groups gathered at Sunshine Park for a public forum dubbed “Paggunita at Pagprotesta: Never forget! Never again to dictatorship” on Monday morning.
Among the groups that joined the forum were the Alliance of Concerned Students-University of the Philippines Baguio and Tanghalang Bayan ng Kabataan sa Baguio.
Some of the key issues tackled during the forum were the political, economic, and social conditions of the country under the Marcos regime, which were discussed by Professor Ruel Caricativo from the All UP Academic Employees Union-UP Baguio and Alliance of Concerned Teachers.
After the public forum, a protest action followed at 11 am. During the protest, groups and individuals renewed calls against state fascism and dictatorship. The protesters held a noise barrage to remind the government that they will never let Martial Law happen again.
Sorsogon City
In Sorsogon City, various groups and individuals staged a protest in front of the Munisipal ng Sorsogon to commemorate the anniversary of Martial Law.
Cebu
In Mandaue City in Cebu, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Central Visayas along with other militant groups gathered in front of the ABS-CBN Cebu headquarters to denounce attacks on press freedom.
In 1972, among the first moves of the Marcos dictatorship was to shut down private media. Soldiers then seized and padlocked ABS-CBN upon the orders of Marcos.
For the protesters, history repeated itself in July 2020, when the Duterte administration shut down ABS-CBN after the House of Representatives rejected its bid for a 25-year franchise.
Davao City
Several progressive groups and individuals took to the streets in Davao City, Duterte’s hometown, to protest against the anti-terror law.
The protesters also called on the government to come up with a more comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to ravage the country. – with reports from Loreta Arroyo, Niña Diño, Lance Mejico, and Khaela C. Vijar/Rappler.com
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