Martial law survivors recall ordeal

Victims of martial law on Tuesday shared the painful experiences they went through under the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

According to Mark Salazar’s report on “24 Oras,” on her second arrest in 1976 former Commission on Human Rights chair Etta Rosales said state forces burned her skin with candle wax, stripped her and strangled her.

The military alleged she had links with the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“Pinagsasalita nila ako, ayaw kong magsalita, so sinunog nila ang balat ko ng wax candle… Unti-unti na ‘yan, hinubaran ka na niyan tapos sinakal ng belt para ma-suffocate ka,” she said.

Rudy Ladiao was also arrested twice. He was first picked up by police in 1979 and was forced into a taxi.

“Habang tumatakbo ‘yung sinasakyan kong taxi kung saan nandoon sila patuloy akong sinasaktan ano… suntok, batok, sampal, palo ng baril at nginungudngod ako sa metro ng taxi,” he said.

Ladiao’s supposed crime at that time was the organization of a group to discuss social issues.

“Habang naglalakad kami, akbay-akbay ako ng pulis. Pagtapat namin sa simbahan, dito sa may Tayuman, ‘yung Manila Cathedral diyan, eh malalim po ‘yun, ‘yung lugar na ‘yun ay doon ako hinulog,” he said.

Desperate to survive, Ladiao said he didn’t run in a straight line to avoid being shot.

“Pagka hulog sa akin ay tinutok na ‘yung baril sa akin. Dahil medyo may kadiliman na ‘yung lugar na ‘yun, sa takot ko, sa nerbyos ko, alam kong papatayin na ko, tumakbo akong paatras,” he said.

“Maswerte naman na medyo maluwag ‘yung lugar. Tumakbo ako ng pa-ekis-ekis para kung pumutok man ‘yung bala ay maaring maiwasan ko,” he added.

Activist Nestor Yranon was detained for more than a month in Bicutan in 1984. During that time, he was also being tortured.

“Hubad ka, itinali, ihiniga patihaya sa isang bakal na higaan. Tapos bubuhusan ka ng napakalamig na tubig, tuloy-tuloy kang bubuhusan ng napakalamig na tubig,” he said.

“Tapos noon, dinanas ko rin ‘yung takpan ng tela sa mukha habang binubuhusan ng tubig ‘yung telang nasa mukha mo, ‘yung para kang nalulunod? Halos hindi ka na makahinga,” he added.

Soldiers also forced pieces of broom sticks inside his genitals.

“Parang tila tingting naramdaman ko itinusok… ‘yung ari ko. Tapos kuryente. Siguro makailang ulit na pangunguryente ‘yun sa lahat ng parte ng katawan ko,” he said.

According to data from Amnesty International, more than 70,000 individuals were arrested, 34,000 were tortured, and more than 3,200 were killed from 1972 to 1981.

A total of 976 victims of enforced disappearance was recorded. Of this, 133 were found dead while 633 are still missing.

Data also showed that more than 11,103 victims suffered from violations of human rights.

In February 1995, a US Court in Hawaii ruled to pay victims damages amounting to almost $2 billion.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News