“I TELL you now, if I have to declare martial law, I will declare it … to preserve my nation, period,”
So, declared President Duterte in Davao City Saturday night before the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
All-too tyrannically now: “I don’t care about the Supreme Court because the right to preserve one’s life and my nation, my country transcends everything else, even the limitations. If I want to and it will deteriorate into something really, really virulent, I will declare martial law if I want to. Walang makapigil sa akin (Nobody can stop me).”
“To preserve my nation.” The catchphrase of autocrats, subscribing to that age-old truism of patriotism being, indeed, the refuge of scoundrels.
“I did not become President to preside over the death of the Republic.”
No, not, Duterte there but Ferdinand E. Marcos, laying the foundation for his declaration of martial law all over the country.
Summed up Proclamation 1081: “… WHEREAS, the rebellion and armed action undertaken by these lawless elements of the communist and other armed aggrupations organized to overthrow the Republic of the Philippines by armed violence and force have assumed the magnitude of an actual state of war against our people and the Republic of the Philippines;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested upon me by Article VII, Section 10, Paragraph (‘2) of the Constitution, do hereby place the entire Philippines as defined in Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution under martial law and, in my capacity as their commander-in-chief, do hereby command the armed forces of the Philippines, to maintain law and order throughout the Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence as well as any act of insurrection or rebellion and to enforce obedience to all the laws and decrees, orders and regulations promulgated by me personally or upon my direction…”
Marcos then. Duterte now.
