Duterte ML vs. Marcos ML

MARTIAL Law (ML) declared in 1972 by President Ferdinand Marcos was a dark spot in our country’s history. After all, it was planned, nay, premeditated to subjugate the nation.

Declaring September 21 as a Day of National Protest, therefore, was apt after years of celebrating it as a day for thanksgiving.

However, the martial law scare being foisted by politicians and citizens critical of President Duterte is stretching the issue too far as can be gleaned from the country’s current experience of the martial law declared in Mindanao.

The Duterte-martial law is focused on restoring peace and order and nothing else. The armed forces and the police need to be aided in neutralizing the threat posed by Islamist extremists to create chaos in Mindanao. Even neutralizing the NPA is evidently not a top agenda of the Mindanao martial law.

As journalists and media practitioners in Mindanao can attest to, there has been no account of arrest of anyone suspected of being merely subversive, nor is media in any part of the country, particularly in Mindanao, censored and controlled. In fact, if Marawi had not been assaulted by the Maute-ISIS terrorists, Mr. Duterte would not have rushed an executive order declaring martial law in Mindanao.

The Marcos-martial law was about control of the country’s people and resources. The Duterte-martial law is about restoration and maintenance of peace and order.

There’s the difference.

‘Murderhood’ not brotherhood

ANOTHER hazing death.  Just another crime statistic it may yet turn out to be.  Again?  Yes, we wail for justice once more over the senseless death recently of Horacio Castillo III.  Murderous barbarians snuffed out his life in hazing rites in the name of brotherhood usually espoused mostly by fraternities. Before Castillo, who was a law student at the University of Sto. Tomas, how many others had suffered the same fate as his? Had there been material convictions after hazing suspects were tried in court?  Hardly. Why, because some judges of hazing cases are fraternity members themselves and, therefore, are biased, protective, of their own killing kind.

There is a law against hazing of any kind in our schools.  Alas, it’s being violated with impunity for the longest time.  So, why not a law banning fraternities in schools altogether?  After all, most fraternities, if not all, really do not stand for brotherhood but “murderhood.”  Morbid, but true.

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