Philippine History During the Martial Law Regime

 
Ferdinand E. Marcos won the presidency in 1965 and was the first president to be re-elected
for a second term in office. Marcos He embarked on an ambitious public works program and
maintained his popularity through his first term. His popularity started to decline after his
re-election due to perceived dishonesty in the 1969 campaign, the decline in economic
growth, government corruption and the worsening peace & order. He declared Martial Law
in 1972 near the end of his second & final term in office. Staunch oppositionist, Senator
Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino (later went on self exile to the U.S.) & Senator Jose Diokno were
one of the first to be arrested. During the Martial Law years, Marcos held an iron grip on the
nation with the support of the military. Opposition leaders we imprisoned and the legislature
was abolished. Marcos ruled by presidential decrees.