Termination of

Martial Law
Martial Law
Martial Law
● The law applied in occupied territory by the
military authority of the occupying power
● The law administered by military forces that is
invoked by a government in an emergency when
the civilian law enforcement agencies are unable
to maintain public order and safety. (Britannicca, 2023)
Purpose of Martial Law
● Martial law involves the temporary substitution of
military authority for civilian rule and is usually
invoked in time of war, rebellion, or natural
disaster.
Martial Law
Proclamation No. 1081, the signed
document declaring Martial Law.

The Dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos

signed Proclamation no. 1081 on
September 21, 1972
Martial Law
September 23, 1972 - First day of the declaration
Marcos appeared on television at 7:15p.m. to
announce that he had placed the “entire Philippines
under Martial law”

The following happened on September 23 in ONE DAY:

● 7 Public utility companies was forced to closed
(meralco, PLDT, NAWASA, Philippine Airline, Air
Manila, Filipino Orient Airways)
● Almost 400 media outlets were shutted down
(radio outlets, news-paper publications, ABS
CBN)
Martial Law
● 4 Senators was arrested. (Ninoy Aquino, Pepe
Diokno, Ramon Mitra Jr., Soc Rodrigo) - Critics of
the dictator.
● 8,000 civilians arrested. (journalist, students,
workers, and the opposition delegates of the
1971 constitutional convention.)
 Why did
marcos declare
Martial Law?
 ● Marcos won the Presidential Election. (Nov 11, 1969)
● December 30, 1969. Marcos started his second “4 years term as the
president”

January 26, 1970

His 5th state of the nation address, trigger the first quarter storm. I
was the first 3 months of 1970 that was full of protest movements against
marcos.

The military used force against protesters that caused rally, The
battle of Mendiola.

After the first quarter storm. A series of bombing happened in

different places of Manila.

Martial Law
January 22, 1971 - Esso and Caltex Bombing
August 21, 191 - Plaza Miranda bombing
March 15, 1972 - Arca Building Bombing
April 23, 1972 - Filipinas Orient Bombing
May 30, 1972 - South Vietnamese Embassy Bombing
June 23, 1972 - Court of Industrial Relations Bombing
June 24, 1972 - Philippine Trust Company Bombing
July 3, 1972 - Philam Life Bombing
July 18, 1972 - Bomb found in the legislative Building
July 27, 1972 - Tabacalera Bombing
August 15, 1972 - PLDT Exchange bombing
Aug 15, 1972 - Philippine Sugar Institute Bombing
August 17, 1972 - Department of Social Welfare Bombing
August 19, 1972 - Aurora Boulevard Water Main Bombing
August 30, 1972 - Second Philam Life Bombing
August 30, 1972 - Railroad Street Bombing
August 31, 1972 - Bomb found in DFA Building
September 5, 1972 - Joe’s Department Store Bombing
September 8, 1972 - Manila City Hall Bombing
September 11, 1972 - Widespread Blackouts at 12:00
September 12, 1972 - San Juan Water Mains Bombing
September 14, 1972 - San Miguel Bombing
September 18, 1972 - Con-con Bombing
September 18, 1972 - Judge Julian Lustre Residence Bombing

The Dictator made used of those events and the “ambush” happened to the late
defense secretary, Juan Ponce Enrile. Happened on September 22, 1972, to declare
Martial Law. but…

In 1986, Enrile confessed that the ambush happened to him on september 22, 1972
was faked and planned. And,

In 2012, he take back again what he said about the ambush, in his memoir
Golden Age?
Termination of
Martial Law
 Happened on
January 17, 1981
Proclamation
no. 2045, s.
1981
 Proclamation no.
2045, s. 1981
Proclaiming the termination of the
state of Martial Law throughout the
Philippines
"NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President/Prime Minister of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby
revoke Proclamation No. 1081 (Proclaiming a State of Martial Law in the Philippines)
and Proclamation No. 1104 (Declaring the Continuation of Martial Law) and proclaim
the termination of the state of martial law throughout the Philippines; Provided, That
the call to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to prevent or suppress lawless violence,
insurrection, rebellion and subversion shall continue to be in force and effect; and
Provided, That in the two autonomous regions in Mindanao, upon the request of the
residents therein, the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall
continue; and in all other places the suspension of the privilege of the writ shall also
continue with respect to persons at present detained as well as others who may
hereafter be similarly detained for the crimes of insurrection or rebellion, subversion,
conspiracy or proposal to commit such crimes, and for all other crimes and offenses
committed by them in furtherance or on the occasion thereof, or incident thereto, or in
connection therewith."
Even though the formal document proclaiming
martial law-Proclamation No. 1081, which was dated
September 21, 1972 was formally lifted on January 17,
1981, Marcos retained essentially all of his powers as
dictator until he was ousted.

Marcos, then, announced that he will be holding a

snap elections on February 7, 1986. His Strongest
opponent was Corazon “Cory” Aquino, widow of the
late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. who was
assassinated on August 21, 1983. Ninoy Aquino was a
known critic of Marcos and his administration.

During the counting of votes, there was a conflict

between COMELEC AND NAMFREL(National Citizens
Movement for Free Elections)
Allegations of mass cheating, political turmoil, and
human rights abuses led to the People Power
Revolution (EDSA REVOLUTION) of February 1986,
which removed him from power.

February 25, Aquino was sworn in as President

1987 Constitution
 1987 Constitution of
The Philippines
Today, the 1987 Constitution
safeguards our institution from a
repeat of Marcos’ Martial Law Regime.
The Supreme Court is empowered to
review all officials acts to determine if
there has been grave abuse of
discretion. Congress cannot be
padlocked.
 1987 Constitution of
The Philippines
Article VII, Section 18 of the 1987
Constitution empowers the President
of the Republic to declare martial law
for a period not exceeding 60 days in
cases of rebellion and invasion, when
public safety requires it.