Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Martial Law victims conduct their own oath-taking ceremony at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City, around the same time President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was inaugurated at the National Museum on June 30, 2022. Zandro Ochona, ABS-CBN News

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1763035388977martial-law-victims-6302022.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Martial Law victims conduct their own oath-taking ceremony at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City, around the same time President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was inaugurated at the National Museum on June 30, 2022. Zandro Ochona, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA (2nd UPDATE) — For political prisoners and survivors of the human rights abuses during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the death of Juan Ponce Enrile, the chief implementer and architect of the Martial Law, is something they cannot mourn.In a statement, the Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainee Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA), an organization of former political prisoners, said they have no tears to shed for Enrile.“For thousands of victims of the Marcos dictatorship, Enrile will forever be remembered neither as a patriot nor a statesman, but as one of the chief architects and defenders of tyranny, repression, and corruption in the country,” the group said.As the defense minister of the Marcos Sr. administration, Enrile played a central role in the declaration and implementation of Martial Law in 1972.“He justified the dictatorship through deception, including the staged ambush on his convoy, which was later exposed as a fabrication to rationalize the imposition of Marcos’ one-man rule,” the group said.They said Enrile used the military and police “as instruments of state terror&quot;, with personnel under his command involved in the arrest, torture and disappearance of activists, students, journalists and citizens.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/13/-salamat-tito-johnny-marcos-jr-pays-tribute-to-enrile-for-decades-of-public-service-1843">‘Salamat, Tito Johnny’: Marcos Jr. pays tribute to Enrile for decades of public service</a></div>In its own statement, Martial Law archiving organizations Project Gunita noted that &quot;one of the bloodiest chapters in our country&#x27;s history would not have been possible without Juan Ponce Enrile.&quot;Apart from his role in the proclamation and implementation of Martial Law, Enrile also &quot;waged murderous wars that decimated tens of thousands of Moro people in Mindanao and was behind the obnoxious deforestation across Samar and Mindanao&#x27;s forest covers, with the relentless operations of his logging corporations,&quot; the group said.Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law, a coalition of martial law victims, echoed these sentiments, calling Enrile “a perpetrator of human rights abuses, a plunderer, and a personification of impunity”.The group said there were at least 3,257 documents extrajudicial killings during the Martial Law period, with 2,520 of those killed subjected to torture and mutilation. There were also 70,000 incidents of detention and 35,000 cases of torture.They said that as Martial Law administrator, Enrile “oversaw the widespread repression and atrocities of the dictatorship.&quot;<div> </div><div>&#x27;SELF-PRESERVATION AND AMBITION&#x27;</div>SELDA noted that Enrile’s breakaway from Marcos Sr. in 1986 was due to “self-preservation and ambition”, and can still be seen when he became President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s presidential legal adviser.Project Gunita said that Enrile had &quot;eventually participated in the historical whitewashing about the Marcos Sr. dictatorship&quot; in the run-up to the 2022 elections.SELDA said Enrile&#x27;s role in the current administration was “a chilling symbol of how impunity persists and history repeats itself under the current regime.”The group said that the call for accountability for Martial Law and its abuses continues after Enrile&#x27;s passing, which, they said, “should strengthen the people’s resolve to continue the fight for truth, justice, and freedom,” SELDA said.In a separate statement, the Department of National Defense said it would fly the flag in front of its headquarters at half mast to honor Enrile, whom it said was &quot;an icon in defense policy and strategy, and played a foundational role in building the modern Department of National Defense.&quot;The DND added: &quot;His legacy in our country’s politics and governance will always be remembered.&quot;Enrile passed away Thursday at the age of 101, after being hospitalized for a few days.Born on February 14, 1924, Enrile was the oldest member of Marcos’ Cabinet.He has been dubbed by some social media users as “immortal” after outliving both UK’s Queen Elizabeth and King Rama IX of Thailand, two of the longest reigning monarchs in the 20th century.<div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/13/juan-ponce-enrile-passes-away-1733">Juan Ponce Enrile passes away</a></div>

For political prisoners and survivors of the human rights abuses during the regime of former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the death of Juan Ponce Enrile, the chief implementer and architect of the martial law, is something they cannot mourn.

For political prisoners and survivors of the human rights abuses during the regime of former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., the death of Juan Ponce Enrile, the chief implementer and architect of the martial law, is something they cannot mourn.

Martial Law survivors: ‘No tears’ for Enrile

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Martial Law survivors: ‘No tears’ for Enrile

Jonathan de Santos,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 13, 2025 08:07 PM PHT

|

Updated November 13, 2025 11:34 PM PHT

Read More:

Juan Ponce Enrile

martial law

Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

human rights violations

political prisoners

SELDA

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