Political prisoners called on Filipinos to remember martial law not only as a dark chapter in the country’s history but also as a continuing warning against abuse of power, corruption and impunity.
The call came ahead of the 54th anniversary of the declaration of martial law on Sept. 21, 1972 amid alleged continuing human rights violations and the weaponization of laws against critics of the government.
In a statement issued through prisoners’ support group KAPATID, political prisoners detained at the Metro Manila District Jail Annex 4 in Bicutan also condemned efforts to rehabilitate the Marcos name and reshape the narrative surrounding martial law.
“More than five decades have passed yet the painful legacy of martial law, human rights violations, injustice and lack of accountability, remains deeply entrenched,” they said.
The prisoners, including veteran activists involved in struggles before martial law, said the anniversary should prompt Filipinos to examine not only the abuses committed during the dictatorship but also the conditions that allowed such abuses to happen.
They said corruption and impunity remain among the problems that continue to affect the country.
The political prisoners also challenged the view that repression exists only under an openly authoritarian government, saying democratic institutions such as Congress, courts, laws, prisons, police and the military could also be used to suppress dissent.
“We, political prisoners, are victims of political persecution. We are living witnesses to how laws and courts are weaponized and wielded to suppress our rights and imprison us on the basis of fabricated charges,” they said.
They cited the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012, which they claimed have been used to silence activists and progressive groups critical of the government.
The prisoners said their efforts to expose “truth, corruption, and the rot of the system” are treated as threats by those in power.
They also called on Filipinos to turn remembrance of martial law into continued efforts to defend democracy, freedom and human rights.
“For the people who cherish democracy and freedom, remembering the dark history under the US-Marcos dictatorship and seeking justice for the victims of martial law do not end there,” they said.
“More important is to continue the people’s struggle until its roots, deeply embedded in Philippine society, are eradicated and uprooted.”
Based on Karapatan data, there were 553 political prisoners nationwide as of Sept. 20.
KAPATID, however, said the actual number could be higher by citing undocumented arrests and alleged forced or fabricated surrenders in areas affected by insurgency, including Negros.
The group said these cases should also be considered in assessing the continuing situation of political prisoners in the country.#