Konted's Make My Day: A Historic Day Some 39 Years Ago

Pres. Marcos declaring Martial Law in 1972

A Historic Day Some 39 Years Ago

I woke up late and took the stairs down to our lanai. It was Saturday. I opened the wooden cover of our Radiowealth color TV by pushing sideways. Color TV then was a novelty. I pulled the button to turn it on. Surprisingly, there was no signal as only blurred black and white images could be seen. I turned to our Pioneer stereo system, of which the parts Father bought and meticulously assembled and encased in fine wooden shelves. Pioneer then was lording it over the other Japanese brands with Sansui coming in close second. I couldn't get a station and only hissing sounds could be heard.

I next tried the small Japanese-made transistor radio with an electronic clock on it. The clock had the right time in crimson red but, just like the stereo and tv, there was no signal. I lifted the black phone to place a call to a friend. There was no dial tone. Oh yes, I do still remember our phone number. It was 63960. This later was changed to 600960. And the person I was trying to call was my friend Francis Roldan whose phone number was 239266.

I was now starting to get irritated. I turned to my 3- year- old nephew Argie who was playing with his Fisher Price toys sent by his mother from New York. Holding the boy by the arm and in a high pitched voice, I asked: " What did you do with the TV and the stereo? Did you tinker some parts? Tell me." Taken aback, he stared at me and didn't say anything. Argie was my main 'suspect'. He was the culprit based on "strong probable cause".

Night fell and Mother and Father were home. I was telling them about the appliances and that the small boy probably did something. And just after having our dinner, we switched on the tv and this time, it was working. And on the screen was a figure all Filipinos knew very well. It was President Ferdinand Marcos, with Press Secretary Kit Tatad by his side. With that familiar voice and tone, President Marcos declared Martial Law throughout the Philippines: "By virtue of Proclamation 1081, I am placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law......."

That was September 23, 1972, although the decree was officially signed on Sept. 21. From then on, police and military checkpoints were a common sight. Curfew was set at 1:00 AM in Metro Manila and 12 midnight in the provinces. But that didn't bother me. It didn't change my lifestyle. I continued with my old ways. The drinking sprees didn't stop.

Once I was accosted by the police at a dark portion of Sumulong Highway in Antipolo. For violation of the curfew rule and my driver's license was confiscated. I was driving a VW Fastback and I was asked to follow the police vehicle as I was to be confined at the municipal hall. But when I saw an opportunity, with the police already some 300 meters away, I suddenly turned left at an unlit dirt road lined with big acacia trees. That was a secret passage to our house and very few motorists knew about it. Not even the Police.

It has been 39 years since that fateful day when Martial Law was declared. Many Filipinos condemned Marcos for it. The hatred, for some, is still there to this day. And looking back, I personally have no rancor or hatred for anyone for those past years. In fact, I voted for Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. last May 10, 2010. And why did I vote for Bongbong? Simply because Bongbong reminds me of his father. Consequently, Pres. Marcos reminds me of Martial Law days. And those days were the days when I was young. They were my carefree and happy times. Those were the days of my vanished youth. Do I sound weird?

-Konted