1. Dictatorship and Martial Law
Dictatorship is a form of government where political
authority is monopolized by a single person or
political entity, and exercised through various
oppressive mechanisms.
Martial Law is the exercise of government and control
by military authorities over the civilian population of a
designated territory.

2. Imposition of Martial Law
 Martial law is usually imposed on a temporary basis when the government or civilian
authorities fail to function effectively (e.g., maintain order and security, or provide essential
services). In full-scale martial law, the highest-ranking military officer would take over, or
be installed, as the military governor or as head of the government, thus removing all
power from the previous executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.
 Martial law can be used by governments to enforce their rule over the public. Such
incidents may occur after a coup d'état ; when threatened by popular protest; to suppress
political opposition; or to stabilize insurrections or perceived insurrections .Martial law
may be declared in cases of major natural disasters; however, most countries use a
different legal construct, such as a state of emergency.
 Martial law has also been imposed during conflicts and in cases of occupations, where the
absence of any other civil government provides for an unstable population.
 Typically, the imposition of martial law accompanies curfews, the suspension of civil law,
civil rights, habeas corpus, and the application or extension of military law or military
justice to civilians. Civilians defying martial law may be subjected to military tribunal
(court-martial).

3. Martial Law in the Philiphines
• Martial law in the Philippines (Tagalog: Batas Militar sa Pilipinas; Spanish: ley
marcial en Filipinas) refers to several intermittent periods in Philippine history
wherein the Philippine head of state (such as the President) proclaims that an
area is placed under the control of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Martial law is declared either when there is near-violent civil unrest or in
cases of major natural disasters, however most countries use a different legal
construct like "state of emergency".
• Typically, the imposition of martial law accompanies curfews, the suspension
of civil law, civil rights, habeas corpus, and the application or extension of
military law or military justice to civilians. Civilians defying martial law may be
subjected to military tribunals (court-martial)

4. History of martial law proclamation
Ramón Blanco
 Hostilities that began the Philippine Revolution of 1896 started on the evening of 29 August 1896, when
hundreds of rebels attacked the Civil Guard garrison in Pasig, just as hundreds of other rebels personally led
by Andrés Bonifacio were massing in San Juan del Monte, which they attacked hours later on the 30th.
Bonifacio planned to capture the San Juan del Monte powder magazine along with a water station supplying
Manila. The defending Spaniards were outnumbered, and fought off rebels until reinforcements arrived. Once
reinforced, the Spaniards drove Bonifacio's forces back with heavy casualties. Elsewhere rebels
attacked Mandaluyong, Sampaloc, Santa Ana, Pandacan, Pateros, Marikina, and Caloocan,as well
as Makati and Taguig. Balintawak in Caloocan saw intense fighting. Rebel troops tended to gravitate towards
fighting in San Juan del Monte and Sampaloc. South of Manila, a thousand-strong rebel force attacked a small
force of civil guards. In Pandacan Katipuneros attacked the parish church, making the parish priest run for his
life.
 After their defeat in San Juan del Monte, Bonifacio's troops regrouped near Marikina, San
Mateo and Montalban, where they proceeded to attack these areas. They captured these areas but were
driven back by Spanish counterattacks, and Bonifacio eventually ordered a retreat to Balara. On the way,
Bonifacio was nearly killed shielding Emilio Jacinto from a Spanish bullet that grazed his collar. Despite his
reverses, Bonifacio was not completely defeated and was still considered a threat.
 North of Manila, the towns of San Francisco de Malabon, Noveleta and Kawit in Cavite rose in rebellion.
In Nueva Ecijarebels in San Isidro led by Mariano Llanera attacked the Spanish garrison on September 2–4;
they were repulsed.
 By August 30 1896, the revolt had spread to eight provinces, prompting the Spanish Governor-General Ramón
Blanco, 1st Marquis of Peña Plata, to declare a "state of war" in these provinces and place them under martial
law. These provinces were Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas, and Nueva Ecija.
These would later be represented in the eight rays of the Sun in the Philippine flag. Despite such declaration,
which provided a 48-hour period in giving amnesty to rebels except their leaders, Blanco adopted a cool,
conciliatory stance, seeking to improve Spain’s image in the face of world opinion.

5. History of martial law proclamation
Emilio Aguinaldo
• After the outbreak of Spanish–American War, Emilio Aguinaldo, who
succeeded Bonifacio as the paramount leader of the revolution,
returned to the Philippines from his exile in Hong Kong on 19 May
1898, with 13 of his staff. He was encouraged to return by the
Americans, who saw in him as an opportunity in their war against
Spain. After five days, on May 23, Aguinaldo issued a proclamation in
which he assumed command of all Philippine military forces and
established a dictatorial government with himself as dictator.
• On 12 June, at Aguinaldo's ancestral home in Cavite, Philippine
independence was proclaimed and The Act of Declaration of Philippine
Independence was read. The act had been prepared and written in
Spanish by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, who also read its
proclamation. On 18 June, Aguinaldo issued a decree formally
establishing his dictatorial government. On 23 June another decree
signed by Aguinaldo was issued, replacing the Dictatorial Government
with a Revolutionary Government, with himself as President.

6. History of martial law proclamation
José Laurel
• President José P. Laurel of the wartime Second Philippine Republic
(puppet-government under Japan) placed the Philippines under
martial law in 1944 through Proclamation No. 29, dated September 21.
Martial law came into effect on September 22, 1944.Proclamation No.
30 was issued the next day, declaring the existence of a state of war
between the Philippines and the US and Great Britain. This took effect
on September 23, 1944.

7. History of martial law proclamation
Ferdinand Marcos
• In a privilege speech before Senate, Benigno Aquino, Jr. warned the public of the possible establishment of a “garrison state”
by President Ferdinand Marcos. President Marcos imposed martial law on the nation from 1972 to 1981 to suppress
increasing civil strife and the threat of a communist takeover following a series of bombings in Manila.
• On 21 August 1971, while the opposition (Liberal Party) was having their miting de avance in Plaza Miranda, two
fragmentation grenades exploded. It took 9 lives and left more than 100 people seriously wounded. Some Liberal Party
candidates were seriously injured including Jovito Salonga, who nearly died and was visually impaired. Suspicion of
responsibility for the blast initially fell upon Marcos, whom the Liberals blamed for the bombing; however, in later years,
prominent personalities associated with the event have laid the blame on the Communist Party of the Philippines under José
María Sison. In his autobiography, Salonga states his belief that Sison and the CPP were responsible.
• A month of “terrorist bombing” of public facilities in Manila and Quezon City culminated on 22 September with a staged
assassination attempt on Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile. Claiming chaos and lawlessness was near, Marcos declared
martial law, thereby suspending the 1935 Constitution, dissolving Congress, and assuming absolute power. Six hours after the
Enrile assassination attempt, Marcos responded with the imposition of martial law. Proclamation № 1081 which imposed
martial law was dated 21 September 1972, but it was actually signed on 17 September. The formal announcement of the
proclamation was made only at seven-thirty in the evening of 23 September, about twenty-two hours after he had
commanded his military collaborators to start arresting his political opponents and close down all media and retail (fashion,
food, religious, sports) establishments.
The Proclamation read in part:
“ My countrymen, as of the twenty-first of this month, I signed Proclamation № 1081 placing the entire Philippines under
Martial Law...”
• Ferdinand Marcos, September 21, 1972
The declaration of martial law was initially well received by some segments of the people but became unpopular as excesses
and human rights abuses by the military emerged. Torture was used in extracting information from their enemies.
“ We love your adherence to democratic principles and to the democratic process, and we will not leave you in isolation.”
• U.S. Vice-President George H. W. Bush during Ferdinand Marcos inauguration, July 1981
Martial law was lifted by President Marcos on January 17, 1981. In the following years there was the assassination of Ninoy
Aquino in 1983, the Snap Elections of 1986 and the People Power Revolution or EDSA Revolution in 1986 which led to Marcos,
with the advice from the U.S. government, left the country and Cory Aquino becoming president.

8. History of martial law proclamation
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
• President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was planning to impose martial law to put an end to
military coup plots, general civilian dissatisfaction, and criticism of the legitimacy of her
presidency due to dubious election results. Instead, a "State of National Emergency" was
imposed to crush a coup plot and to tackle protesters which lasted from February 24, 2006
until March 3 of the same year.
• In the wake of the Maguindanao massacre, Macapagal-Arroyo placed Maguindanao
province under a state of martial law on December 4, 2009, through Proclamation No.
1959. The declaration also suspended the writ of habeas corpus in the province. The
announcement was made days after hundreds of government troops were sent to the
province, which would later raid armories of the powerful Ampatuan clan. The Ampatuan
family was implicated in the massacre, which saw the murder of 57 persons, including
women members of the rival Mangudadatu clan, human rights lawyers, and 31 media
workers. This was considered the worst incident of political violence in the nation's history.
It has also been condemned worldwide as the worst loss of life of media professionals in
one day in the history of journalism. Macapagal-Arroyo lifted the state of martial law in
Maguindanao in December 12 of the same year.