GEC 102: C&C of Martial Law

• Batas Militar ng Pilipinas


  The various historical instances in which the Philippine head of state placed all or part of the country under military control
• Martial Law


  • Accompanies curfews, the suspension of civil law, civil rights, habeas corpus, and the application or extension of military law or military justice to civilians
  • Civilians defying martial law may be subjected to military tribunals (court-martial)
• Ferdinand Marcos


  Declared martial law on September 23, 1972
• Ferdinand Marcos was born on September 11, 1917 in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte. His father was Mariano Marcos and his mother was Josefa Edralin. He died on September 28, 1989 at the age of 72 years old.
• Marcos claimed the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing posed a serious threat


  Portrayed Martial Law as a necessary measure to prevent a communist takeover
• Marcos pointed to rising crime, student activism, and Muslim separatist movements


  As reasons for needing stricter control
• The 1935 Philippine Constitution limited presidents to two terms


  Marcos, nearing the end of his second term, may have used Martial Law to extend his rule
• Benefits claimed by supporters of Martial Law


  • Reduced crime
  • Suppressed insurgency
  • Economic development
• Controversies around Martial Law


  • Human rights violations
  • Power consolidation
  • Economic issues
  • Historical revisionism
  • Continuing polarization
  • Marcos family wealth
• Martial Law in the Philippines officially ended on January 17, 1981, with Proclamation No. 2045 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos
• However, Marcos lifted martial law but retained many of his dictatorial powers, and human rights abuses continued until the Marcos regime was ultimately ousted in the 1986 People Power Revolution
• Therefore, while 1981 marked the official lifting, the true end of the authoritarian rule associated with Martial Law came in 1986