By Shane Vallery Beduya
See full album: 46th Commemoration of Martial Law Declaration

Protestors marched to Luneta Grandstand with raps on Duterte’s ‘dictatorship’ during the commemoration of the 46th Martial Law declaration anniversary last September 21.

Different groups gathered on Mendiola, Taft, and Kalaw Avenue and walked to the grandstand with outcries of discontent against the current administration’s policies, mainly on the TRAIN law, war on drugs, and labor situation.

The official program was led by United People’s Action (UPA) against Dictatorship. Alongside with UPA, Anakbayan, Babae Ako, Bayan Muna Partylist, and various student and labor movements, wore black shirts and raised their anti-Martial Law banners.

“Mangangarap tayo ng isang bayan na malaya sa kahirapan, sa kagutuman, sa karahasan. Isang lipunan na hindi binabastos ang kababaihan. Isang lipunan na hindi lumalapastangan sa may kapansanan. Isang lipunan na hindi naniniwala sa Martial Law. At isang lipunang walang diktador. (We will dream for a country that is free from poverty, hunger, and violence. A society which does not harass the women. A society which does not abuse the disabled. A society which does not believe on Martial Law. And a society with no dictator),” said Babae Ako Partylist representative.

High School and College students from different universities in Manila and Central Luzon joined the rally and voiced out their sentiments against the administration’s ‘unjust’ system.

“Ang karapatang pantao ay hindi pwedeng labagin ng sino man, due process, hindi ang rason na nang-laban, (Human rights can’t be transgressed by anyone, [it is] due process, not the excuse the [someone] has gone against the authority),” FEU Political Science student protester, Alex Omac Jr. stated.

Furthermore, Martial Law veterans led the protesters in offering songs and poems to honor Filipinos who suffered under the Marcos’ regime. Victims of martial law also shared testimonies on the cruelty of oppression they experienced.

According to martial law victim Chris Lacaba, his father was tortured at Camp Crame during the administration of Marcos and his family’s reports were set aside by the authorities. He avowed that he does not want this generation to experience the same ‘horror’ under Duterte’s Administration.

The said event persisted until evening despite the arrival of anti-protest groups and heavy rain.