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Martial law saved PH from becoming communist: Padilla

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ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — Sen. Robin Padilla believes the declaration of martial law on September 21, 1972 saved the country from turning communist.Although the threat of communism was among the justifications for the declaration, the premise and Padilla&#x27;s assertion are historically inaccurate, an assistant professor in history at the University of the Philippines said.In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Padilla said people have only heard one narrative about the events of martial law. He noted communism was very powerful in Southeast Asia during the 1970s. &quot;&#x27;Yung isang narrative ay ang martial law ay nagdulot ng pagliligtas sa ating bansa na tayo po ay maging communist country at marami din po tayong kasundaluhan ang nagbigay ng buhay para maligtas po ang ating bayan na tayo po ay makubkob ng mga komunista,&quot; he said. &quot;Kung kinikilala niyo &#x27;yung bayani niyo diyan, meron ding bayani dito. Dapat din natin silang kilalanin.&quot;Padilla has filed a bill declaring September 21 a nonworking holiday to celebrate the unsung heroes of martial law. However, the senator said he is willing to change his bill and make September 21 a working holiday if the labor department objects. <div>&#x27;HISTORICALLY INACCURATE&#x27;</div>&quot;Soldiers in general do service for the country, there are mechanisms by which the government recognize their service,&quot; assistant professor Francisco Jayme Guiang told ABS-CBN News in an online exchange.&quot;Pero yung premise ni Sen. Padilla na [martial law was declared] to protect the government from the looming communist invasion is historically inaccurate,&quot; he also said.According to a study by the International Crisis Group in 2011, the New People&#x27;s Army began with just 60 members and 35 rifles. An article on the declaration of martial law on the Martial Law Museum also notes that &quot;other analyses suggest that it was in fact the declaration of Martial Law in 1972 which caused membership in these radicalized groups to swell.&quot; Guiang added that: &quot;Kahit pa umabot ng 2,000 or 3,000 ang membership ng [Communist Party of the Philippines] by 1972, still not a threat to government &#x27;yan.&quot;According to reports from global human rights watchdog Amnesty International, there were 100,000 victims of martial law, with 3,000 killed, 34,000 tortured and 70,000 arrested.The Marcoses also amassed an estimated $5 to 10 billion, or some P500 billion, in ill-gotten wealth, based on the World Bank-United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Stolen Asset Recovery report.

Sen. Robin Padilla believes the declaration of martial law on September 21, 1972 saved the country from turning communist. 