In an interview with the organization in 1975, President Marcos told Amnesty International that over 50,000 people had been arrested and detained under martial law from 1972-1975 those arrested included church workers, human rights defenders, legal aid lawyers, labour leaders and journalists. During the martial law era (1972-1981), and during the remainder of President Marcos’ term, Amnesty International documented extensive human rights violations which clearly showed a pattern of widespread arrests and detention, enforced disappearances, killings and torture of people that were critical of the government or perceived as political opponents. The nine-year military rule ordered by then President Ferdinand Marcos in 1972 unleashed a wave of crimes under international law and grave human rights violations, including tens of thousands of people arbitrarily arrested and detained, and thousands of others tortured, forcibly disappeared, and killed. Here are five things to know about why the period under Martial Law matters in the ongoing fight for truth, justice and reparations in the Philippines. As we have seen over the years, sweeping past human rights violations under the carpet can never be the answer.ĭebates in the lead-up to 9 May elections offer opportunities for people and political candidates to discuss the needed changes in the political and justice systems, and other conditions in society, that would prevent the recurrence of human rights violations. However, forgetting a past of grave human rights violations without guaranteeing the rights to truth, justice and reparations is dangerous and will lead to further human rights violations. Indeed, the country must move on towards a radically different approach to human rights. This was a dark period of Philippine history and it is therefore crucial to ensure that, as part of the Philippines obligations to ensure the rights to truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-repetition, political narratives do not undermine memorialization processes that are central to the fight against impunity.Īttempts to downplay what happened during Martial Law include arguments that the country should move on and forget the past. News ApFive things to know about Martial Law in the PhilippinesĮlection fever is sweeping the Philippines as rallies and debates are held in the lead-up to the 2022 national poll, which will see the country elect a new president, vice-president and thousands of other positions including senators, congressional representatives and mayors.Īmnesty International is calling on all candidates to put human rights front and centre in their campaigns after six years of a murderous ‘war on drugs’, and the rise in impunity for these and other human rights violations during President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.īut as campaigns are under way, a disturbing revisionist narrative that is attempting to play down the numerous human rights violations committed during the Martial Law regime back in the 1970s has started to emerge.
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