Fifty-four years after the declaration of Martial Law under the Marcos dictatorship, human rights alliance KARAPATAN said the continuing exercise of the people’s right to protest is among the most important lessons that must be carried forward from the dark years of authoritarian rule.
KARAPATAN stressed that September 21, beyond remembrance of the dark days of tyranny and dictatorship, should be a reminder how the government feeds on rampant corruption, anti-people policies, and quelling of dissent.
“Martial Law taught us that the Filipino people will rise up under a government that silences those who demand accountability for its crimes, and injustice. This is precisely why the right to protest remains indispensable today, despite attempts to block protests and mass actions that express our collective discontent with the Marcos Jr. regime’s perpetuation of corruption, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and tyranny, like his dictator-father,” said KARAPATAN secretary general Cristina Palabay.
KARAPATAN also condemned the Philippine National Police’s road closures and other restrictions imposed in connection with the September 21 rallies, as well as the suspension of classes in Manila supposedly for safety reasons. Such measures, the group said, should not be used to discourage people, particularly students, workers and ordinary citizens, from joining protests and exercising their fundamental rights.
“We do not need permission from those in power to demand accountability. We have the right to question government policies, expose corruption, criticize officials, and take to the streets when our voices are ignored. This right is vital at a time when billions in public funds are being stolen and government accountability remains a pressing concern,” she added.
The September 21 mobilizations come amid renewed public outrage over alleged corruption in government flood-control and infrastructure projects. Various groups are again expected to take to the streets, coinciding with the 54th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.
“The legacy of Martial Law remains because the same atrocities continue, more than five decades after. We are taking to the streets to defend people’s rights, as we condemn the State’s utmost neglect of the people’s suffering due to corruption, rabid attacks against the people through red-tagging, unjust arrests, and trumped-up charges, and Marcos Jr.’s sell-out of the Philippines to foreign powers,” said Palabay.
KARAPATAN likewise rejected attempts to portray protests as threats simply because they challenge those in power.
“The government cannot invoke the language of democracy while treating dissent as a nuisance or a security problem. The right to protest exists precisely so that people can challenge abuses of power. It is not a privilege that government may grant, restrict or withdraw depending on whether it likes the message being raised,” Palabay said.
The organization recalled that last year’s anti-corruption protests were followed by excessive police violence, arrests and violations against protesters. Amnesty International Philippines has likewise called on Philippine authorities to ensure the right to protest and investigate allegations of police violence arising from the 2025 demonstrations.
KARAPATAN said that the lessons of Martial Law demand vigilance against repression.
“Never again, never forget means defending the rights that the dictatorship tried to destroy. It means refusing to be silenced when public funds are plundered, when corruption is exposed, when human rights are violated, and when government power is abused,” Palabay said.
“On this 54th anniversary of Martial Law, we remember, and we resist and fight back,” Palabay ended.