APCHRP: The spirit of People Power lives on 53 years after the Declaration of Marcos Sr.’s Martial Law
The Asia-Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines expresses solidarity with the thousands of Filipinos who took to the streets yesterday to protest government corruption. From Luneta Park and the EDSA Shrine to towns and cities across the country, the Filipino people showed that 53 years after the declaration of Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos Sr., their resolve to resist oppressive and corrupt governments remains strong.
This year’s commemoration of Marcos Sr.’s Martial Law declaration was marked by large demonstrations, fuelled by recent revelations of widespread corruption in government infrastructure projects. What began as an exposé on substandard flood-control systems has since uncovered further anomalies in the construction of public school classrooms and other government facilities. At a time when Filipinos endure waist-deep floods, children are crammed into overcrowded classrooms, and families struggle with the high cost of living, the people’s outrage is both understandable and justified.
Though these demonstrations happened without incident for the most part, clashes between police and protesters were recorded resulting in injuries. The desire of these protesters, who mostly came from the youth sector, should not be ostracized. They are at the forefront of the harmful impacts of bureaucratic corruption and their anger is justified. Those who clashed with riot police are those who suffer through floods each time a typhoon enters the Philippines. They are the ones who cannot find good quality jobs that pay livable wages due to the systematic problems the country faces. What was deplorable and worthy of criticism was the violent response by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in quelling the protests. The APCHRP condemns the disproportionate and excessive force employed by the police in responding to these protesters. Their recklessness caused injuries among the protesters and resulted in over 300 arrests.
Yesterday’s anti-corruption demonstrations were the result of widespread frustration against bureaucratic corruption, which plunder funds intended to improve the lives of the Filipino people. The people have every right to manifest their anger towards the government, and its state forces, then just as it was justified for the Filipino masses to rise against the brutal, corrupt and fascist Marcos Sr. regime during the People Power Revolution of 1986. It is a basic human right to dissent against an oppressive and unjust government and that should be respected by the incumbent administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. May the events at Luneta, EDSA Shrine, and other areas of protest be a clarion call for theMarcos Jr. government to heed the public’s desire for justice and accountability in the Flood Control Scam scandal. Otherwise, he will face the brunt of the Filipino people the same way his father did.
