Austin James A.

Ilaya 2H-MT
S.N. 16
Social Analysis Reflection (Exhibit)
The Martial Law regime in the Philippines aims to maintain law and order throughout the
country but it is known as one of the hardest times the nation has experienced. During the era of
Ferdinand Marcos’ Martial Law, Human Rights violations was rampant and exists in many forms.
A lot of Filipinos were involved in various kinds of human rights violation and many Filipino
started to oppose and rebel against the government. Numerous human rights were violated such as
salvaging, arbitrary arrests and detention and massacre was present, but most commonly in the
form of torture through electrocution, rape and beatings. Countless Filipinos experienced torture
and it was not often reported due to intimidation and fear of reprisal, and some were due to trauma
of the torture such as rape. Disappearance of Filipinos was rampant which were commonly due to
military custody which would most likely result into salvaging. The unmarked graves will be
identified through the victim’s body by his physical characteristics, rings, or clothing. Arbitrary
arrests and detention include public order violation arrests was prevalent wherein an individual
have no likelihood or evidence that he/she committed a crime in legal statute or there has been no
proper due process of low or order. Massive killings in Daet, Camarines Norte also happened at
that time. Furthermore, in our current situation in the Philippines under the reign of President
Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the Philippines is still experiencing human right violations just like in the
reign of Marcos. Today, war on drugs is still an on-going campaign wherein many are still being
killed due to drug-related cases that are classified Deaths Under Inquiry (DUI), drug suspects killed
under police operations at which point other people undergo summary execution. Minors were
also being killed today due to Death Penalty Bills of the government upon which they lowered the
minimum age of criminal responsibilities from 15 years old to 9 years old, making it possible for
children to be prosecuted and be punished as adults. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wants to
implement the Death Penalty Bill for retribution against crime and as part of the war on drugs.
Human rights defenders were also oppressed and silenced due to their opposition, critics and
opinions of the government. Extra Judicial Killing was rampant wherein there are many victims
that are falsely accused or are found dead without proper legal action. Lastly, Train Tax Law was
implemented which lowers the income tax rate which has no real benefit for minimum wage
earners due to rise of excise tax which increases the price of food, commodities, transportation and
basic goods.
The Filipino’s experience during martial law also sparked nationalism and patriotism
wherein when Ninoy was killed, protests exploded across the nation. Before the People Power
Revolution there was the Snap Elections wherein the top two candidates Corazon C. Aquino and
Ferdinand E. Marcos both won the election due to different counts by the COMELEC, and
NAMFREL and was believed that the tallying of votes was a fraud committed by Marcos. The
Snap Election then later led to People Power Revolution (also known as the EDSA revolution) to
overthrow Marcos.
Upon the violation of human rights, it resulted into advocates which are also know as
human rights defenders. These human rights defenders have different advocacies for different
rights, although, these advocacies caught the attention of the government, thus consequences
resulted due to their actions. Gloria Capitan was a women human rights defender, an anti-coal
activist and the Presidents of the organization Samahan ng Nagkakaisang mmayan ng Lucanin
(SNML) and was assassinated due to her actions. Indigenous human rights defenders were also
supported by seventeen advocates from T’boli Manobo S’daf Claimants Organzation (TAMASCO)
in South Cotabato which they go against the expansion of coffee plantation to defend their
Austin James A. Ilaya 2H-MT
S.N. 16
ancestral domain. Their Tribal leader Datu Victor Danyan was killed during firefight by armed
groups and also killed were his sons. Furthermore, many accounts and stories of human rights
defenders such as Cesar Climaco who was known for fighting injustice and corruption, to make
peace in the community, and to defend the poor and weak from the abusive people with powers,
however was shot by an assassin. Reynante C. Andal, an activist that wants to fight an oppressive
regime died when soldiers of the Task Force Lawin open fired at the place he was staying. The
arrest, torture and execution of Lecsio P. De Guzman which reported by the military that he has
been killed in a firefight due to his actions as an activist wherein he mobilized as many as possible
to great rallies due to the assassination of Benigno Aquino Jr, particularly the Lakbayan. Also, a
lawyer, a defender of civil rights, David T. Beuno was assassinated in his law office due to
protesting and defending human rights of several political prisoners and tribal Yapayao farmers.
Lastly, Manuel F. Ontong who was part of the Samahang Demokratiko ng Kabataan and Sining
Bayan was abducted by men in civilian clothes, disappeared and was not ever been found by his
mother.
Today, the significance of human rights advocacies is as important as it was back then. The
violation of human rights is still present such as the Death Penalty Bill for so called retribution and
as part of war on drugs through the TOKHANG program and Extra Judicial Killings (EJK). These
killings, Extra Judicial Killings and killings due to war on drugs, according to Exodus 20:13 “You
shall not murder” it violates the Sacred Scriptures teachings. Specifically, Extra Judicial Killing
(EJK) which is prevalent today violate the Sacred Scripture teaching Exodus 23:7 “Have nothing
to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit
the guilty”, killing the innocent people who are not actually involved in crimes is wrong. Not only
innocent people should be killed but also the sinner or the route of the wrong doing, it is according
to the teachings of the Sacred Scripture/ the Church that we shall not kill and ultimately the
judgement of the one who sinned rests on the Lord’s hands. According to Deuteronomy 24:14-5
"You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your
countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns. "You shall give him his wages
on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it; so that he will not cry against
you to the LORD and it becomes sin in you”, the implementation of laws such as Train Tax Law
does not really benefit the underprivileged due to increase of food, commodities, basic goods and
transportations. This specifically targets our farmers today, due to rice tariffication law, our
government opens the doors for more imported rice entering the country while our farmers having
low sales due to increase of price and are not much promoted by the government saying that the
price of the rice is enough or more to sustain themselves. According to this Sacred Scriptures
teaching that laborers or poor workers should have justice and fairness because masters will too
have a master in heaven (Colossian 4:1). Furthermore, we are all humans and we have rights that
we should not be oppressed on anything and we all have freedom with a responsibility of doing
only what is good. According to Genesis 1:26, we are created in the image and likelihood of God
and let us have dominion over every creature in the world.
According to Psalm 34:13-15, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking
deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward
the righteous and his ears toward their cry”, this means that in order to uphold human rights it
must first starts in us. We should be peacemakers and not condoned what is evil, our actions should
be towards the truth and to do what is good; seek peace and pursue it for that will be the best for
everyone, for the Lord will show justice for us all. The parable of the Divided Kingdom (Matthew
Austin James A. Ilaya 2H-MT
S.N. 16
12:25-28), “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household
divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How
then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive
them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons,
then the kingdom of God has come upon you”, This means that when we fight among each other,
it will weaken ourselves, thus weakening our whole nation. We all of us must be in unity to be
able to function well and efficiently. We must be a united nation to eliminate the existing social
issues and injustices. It is only through being united, evil cannot prevail. Action must start within
ourselves and we must keep on defending and fighting for our human rights because we are all in
the image and likeness of God which means that we are endowed with dignity that is inalienable
and invialble.

References:
BibleStudyTools Staff. (2015, February 4). 13 Bible Verses About Killing - Scriptures on Taking
a Life. Retrieved from [Link]
about-killing/
BibleStudyTools Staff. (2019, January 1). The Parables of Jesus - Full List with Bible Verses.
Retrieved from [Link]
Bishop, M. (2019, July 7). Use These Bible Verses to Find Some Inner Peace. Retrieved from
[Link]
peace/?slide=6
Knowing Jesus. (2017, February 23). 67 Bible verses about Wages. Retrieved from
[Link]