Today, we are commemorating one of the darkest and most violent days in our history. It has been 51 years since the dictator Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law in the Philippines. And 51 years later, another Marcos, his son is seated in Malacañang. Below is LILAK's official statement.
We realize now, since Duterte, that there is no need to have a declaration of martial law to suffer the suspension of our civil rights, to be under a one-man rule. Under the Marcos-Duterte government, our rights our under attack, human rights defenders vilified, harassed, abducted, and killed. New institutions of corruption such as Maharlika Fund are erected, with new sets of cronies recruited, even as the Filipino people experience worsening poverty.
But we have learned our lessons from the dark days of Martial Law – people’s persistence to hope, and to resist could bring down a dictator. So now is the time to manifest that same hope and resistance.
#NeverForget #ML51