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DPA
MANILA
THOUSANDS of people took to the streets in the Philippines on Friday to denounce the policies of President Rodrigo Duterte, and to mark 46 years since late strongman Ferdinand Marcos placed the country under martial law.
The demonstrators included survivors of torture, illegal detention and other abuses under Marcos, who declared martial rule throughout the country on September 21, 1972.
Duterte placed the southern region of Mindanao under martial law last year after Islamic State-allied militants attacked Marawi City.
He has also launched a deadly crackdown against illegal drugs, which has left more than 4,000 killed, according to police statistics.
"We were there in the darkest days. We struggled and survived. At the sunset of our lives, we will not bow down to another rising tyranny and dictatorship," said Trinidad Herrera Repuno, who was arrested, detained and tortured during Marcos' reign.
"The Filipino people have already witnessed how we toppled a tyrant," she added."There is no doubt that we can do it again!"
The demonstrators also condemned what they said were attempts by former aides of Marcos to re-write history by insisting that martial law was good for the country and no one was killed or arrested for simply opposing the former president.
Former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who was defence minister under Marcos and the official who implemented martial law, insisted that only a convicted drug lord was killed at that time.
"Name me one that we executed other than (suspected drug lord) Lim Seng," Enrile said in a recorded conversation with the strongman's son, former senator Ferdinand"Bongbong" Marcos Junior, uploaded on Youtube.
"There was none," he added."Name me one person who was arrested because of political or religious belief. None. Name me one person who was arrested simply because they criticised President Marcos. None."
Jose Manuel Diokno, a human rights lawyer whose father was arrested and detained for two years during martial law for opposing Marcos, urged Enrile to review history so he does not forget.
"I hope he does not try to change history," he said."Our history is a history of continuous struggle for a just society. That is what we wanted, and that is why we fought against the Spaniards,~ the Americans and the dictator."
Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in a people power revolt in February 1986, and forced to flee to Hawaii in self-imposed exile with his family. He died three years later, and his family was eventually able to return to the country and in politics.
