As part of the commemoration of the 51st anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, leftist groups held a protest to criticize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The President's father, Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., signed Proclamation No.1081 on September 21, 1972, declaring Martial Law on Sept .23.

Citing dangers to the country due to the communist insurgency and fighting in Muslim Mindanao, the elder Marcos ordered the closure of newspapers, except for two, some radio and TV stations.

Classes were suspended for a month starting September 25 and curfew was imposed. Martial Law was lifted in January 17, 1981.

Members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan Karapatan, Bayan Muna, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Migrante, Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, Movement Against Tyranny and other militant groups braved afternoon rain to told a rally at Liwasang Bonifacio and later in Mendiola, Bayan president Renato Reyes said.

Similar activities were held in Cebu, Iloilo, Kalibo, Naga, Legazpi, Davao, and Cotabato.

Reyes said the younger Marcos’ attempt to revise history is not successful as human rights violations, allegations of corruption and killings and arrest of dissenters continue.

“Quite the opposite, we are being reminded of many aspects of the past

Marcos dictatorship by the current Marcos occupant in Malacanang,” he

said in a statement.

Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said in a statement ''we find ourselves facing the same forms of repression with the enforcement of the counter-terrorism laws that are essentially martial law instruments.”

Bayan Cavite maintained that the two youth activists Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro did not surrender, as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) stated, but were abducted, threatened, and forced to sign an affidavit.

“This proves that there is indeed a de facto martial law today in the existence of the anti-terror law,” Bayan Cavite said in a statement. DMS/Jaspearl Tan