Arroyo curfew follows Ferdinand Marcos' example 35 years ago

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s imposition of a curfew in Metro Manila and parts of Luzon island is at best unprecedented, and at worst, follows the example of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos 35 years ago. Marcos was the last president to impose a curfew across the nation, starting Sept, 23, 1972, as part of a wide swath of assaults on civil and political rights that stretched on until he was ousted by the EDSA people power revolt in February 1986. Two days earlier on Sept. 21, 1972, Marcos signed Proclamation 1081 and placed the Philippines under a state of martial rule in the next 14 years. Sept. 23, 1972 was also the day when Marcos banned public demonstrations and ordered the arrest by members of the military of his arch political rival, the late Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr, other opposition politicians and militants. Too, he closed all schools and mass media facilities, and effected government takeover of public utilities. "In the morning of September 23, people awoke without a newspaper on their doorsteps and with only the hiss of empty air over their radios," according to a column by University of the Philippines Journalism Prof. Luis Teodoro. Marcos’ Press Secretary Francisco Tatad went on air by late afternoon of Sept. 23, 1972, and for the first time, It was the first time the nation learned of Proclamation 1071. At 7 p.m. of the same day, Marcos went on air to formally announce the proclamation of martial law. He imposed curfew and banned public demonstrations. The imposition of curfews is enrolled as a provision specifically applied to children in another Marcos’ law, Presidential Decree No. 603, or The Child and Youth Welfare Code. The Code’s Article 139 states: “Curfew Hours for Children. - City or municipal councils may prescribe such curfew hours for children as may be warranted by local conditions. The duty to enforce curfew ordinances shall devolve upon the parents or guardians and the local authorities." Moreover, the Code provides that, “Any parent or guardian found grossly negligent in the performance of the duty imposed by this article shall be admonished by the Department of Social Welfare or the Council for the Protection of Children." In recent years, however, quite a local government officials have declared curfews and on quite limited occasions, in their respective constituent areas. Davao City under Mayor Rodrigo Duterte had enacted a city ordinance imposing a curfew beginning 2 a.m., as a measure to curb crime. The cities of Makati (in the '60s), Taguig (2000) and Manila (2007) have similarly imposed curfews but only for minors, or Filipinos below 18 years old. Apart from this Code, election laws mandate the Commission on Elections to impose curfews limited to "hotspots" or areas under threat of violence or with a record of election-related violence. - GMANews.TV/GMA News Research