Gabrielle Aine Cabana SPA 10 -- Lyra

It has been thirty years since Martial Law ended and people are still talking about it;
arguing and debating on whether the hazy memory of it is to be considered as the Golden Age
for Philippine History or if it’s to be labeled as the days of infamy for Filipinos everywhere. The
economy’s growth and the country’s order as well as the lessened crime rates seem to be the
brighter side of those days but the deaths and disappearances of activists and writers still haunt
those who know them and/or know their stories.

“Name one person that was arrested because of religious or political belief during that
period. None. Name one person that was arrested simply because he criticized President Marcos.
None.” Juan Ponce Enrile stated. By this statement, he must’ve forgotten the cases of those who
were imprisoned at the time of Martial Law because of the exact reason of political issues, let
alone those who disappeared without a trace, popularly referred to as the “desaparecidos”. The
case of the desaparecidos was the most controversial and memorable part of the Marcos
administration. The people who disappeared then were journalists and activists who strongly
spoke up against the government. At first, they were arrested and tortured before thrown in
prison and finally freed after a duration of months or years. However, it does not stop there
because in the year 1977, most of those who were freed suddenly disappeared without a trace
and even now, forty-one years later, they’re still not found.

Now, whoever says otherwise or disagrees to the laid-out facts about the desaparecidos
clearly does not know a thing or two about the Marcos administration or perhaps, is just trying
to rewrite what happened back then to reconcile the past and present. Regardless of what their
reasoning is, it’s already such a hollow argument to try to deny everything that happened back
then. I mean, the new generation of UP students are still endlessly reminding the Filipinos of the
horror their fellow students experienced, especially those who are a part of the desaparecidos.

These cases of missing people and the families they left behind who will forever seek
justice they deserve shows just how big of a mark Martial Law left on those who experienced it.
As to the ones who try to rewrite that dark part of history, no amount of cover ups can do
anything to make the Filipinos forget what’s already written. In conclusion, even though Martial
Law is a thing of the past, we must not disrespect those who had to give up their lives for going
against it. We must not try to erase and rewrite what really happened and at the same light,
ignore their sacrifices and heroism in exposing the truth. For the brave, forgotten names of that
age, commemoration is what they deserve.

Critic Paper (Araling Panlipunan)