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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Enrile asks: If martial law was not declared in 1972,  would the communist have taken over the gov't?

Enrile asks: If martial law was not declared in 1972,  would the communist have taken over the gov't?

Published Sep 21, 2022 05:56 pm

If martial law was not declared in 1972, would the communist have taken over the government?

We would not be talking freely like right now had martial law not been declared in 1972.

This was the answer of Juan Ponce Enrile, a former Defense Secretary of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., and former Senate President, to a query by Senator Robinhood C. Padilla on what could have happened to the Philippines had not Marcos declared martial law.

‘’And could have the Communist insurgents taken over the government?’’ Padilla further asked.

‘’Siguro hindi tayo naguusap ng ganito (perhaps we will not be talking like this),’’ Enrille told Padilla during his fifth hybrid public hearing on resolutions seeking a review and study of the 1987 Constitution.

Had the communist won, ‘’my king would now be Kim Jung Un (North Korean dictator),’’ he added.

Asked if the younger generation owe him and Marcos a debt of gratitude, Enrile replied that it was the duty of the State to protect its citizens and to secure the freedom to each of us.

He revealed that the Communist Party of the Philippines was formed in 1968 by the late Senator Benigno ‘’Ninoy’’ Aquino Jr., former University of the Philippines (UP) Professor Jose Ma. Sison and New People’s Army (NPA) Commander Dante Buscayno.

Working in parallel, then UP Professor Nur Misuari also formed the Moro National Liberation. Front (MNLF).

As the tide of communist insurgency was rising, the national government had to do something as its 48,000-man army only armed with World War II Carbines and Garands while the communist insurgents were armed with Russian-made rifles and MNLF armed with Belgian FAL rifles.

Enrile said that tunnels were built in Capas, Tarlac near Hacienda Luisita.

He said Ninoy had plans to run for the presidency.

‘’We freed the communist blockade from Los Banos to Metro Manila,’’ he added.

In the north, Enrile said government forces broke the momentum of the insurgents who were forced to go to Isabela and later to the Sierra Madre, Bicol, Samar and later to Mindanao.

The ‘’revolt’’of Enrile and Fidel Ramos in 1986 against Marcos led to the peaceful EDSA ‘’revolution.’’

On the drafting of the 1987 Constitution, Enrile said his opinion was not consulted as the group of 60 men and women handpicked by then President Cory Aquino drafted the Charter.

Enrile said Cory placed some ideologues in this group to weaken the Philippine government that should protect the country and to advance the goals of the CPP/NDF/NPA.

‘’Pinakawalan ni Córy,’’ Enrile said of the decision of Cory to free several of those arrested for seeking the downfall of the government.

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