NCCP Statement on the 54th Anniversary of the Declaration of Martial Law
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1 NIV
For fourteen years, from the imposition of Martial Law in 1972 until 1986, the Filipino people suffered under Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.’s authoritarian rule – nine years of formal military rule followed by five years of authoritarian control. This period was marked by tens of thousands of documented human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and detention, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, militarization, and widespread suppression of civil and political liberties. These violations were accompanied by deepening economic hardship, widening inequality, and the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few.
Yet, amid fear and repression, the people resisted. Workers, peasants, Indigenous Peoples, students, women, church workers, human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, and communities refused to remain silent.
Fifty-four years after the imposition of Martial Law, the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), together with the Filipino people, continues to remember, resist, and pursue the fullness of life that Jesus Christ promised. Our remembrance is not merely an act of looking back; it is a commitment to confront the realities of the present and ensure that the abuses and repression of the past are never repeated.
Yet, our present remains deeply troubling and bleak.
Human rights violations persist. Corruption continues to drain public resources and undermine essential services, while Filipinos bear the brunt of government failures and the neglect of their basic needs. Anomalous flood-control projects have further exposed how corruption can directly endanger the lives of the Filipino people. As people struggle with poverty and increasingly destructive floods intensified by the climate crisis, public funds meant to protect them have instead, in alleged cases of corruption, been diverted for private and personal gain.
We are also deeply concerned by the continuing criminalization of dissent and the shrinking space for legitimate democratic expression. Under the country’s counter-terrorism laws, human rights defenders, community organizers, church workers, Indigenous Peoples, peasants, and other advocates have faced accusations and charges connected to their work of defending communities and advancing human rights.
The cases involving the Kasibu 11 and Cagayan 11 are of grave consequences when laws intended to address terrorism are used against legitimate advocacy and dissent. Those who accompany poor and marginalized communities, defend ancestral lands, document human rights violations, and stand with communities facing displacement are not terrorists. Dissent must never be criminalized.
We are likewise deeply concerned about developments surrounding Pax Silica and the US-Philippines MOU on critical minerals, particularly their implications for Philippine sovereignty, human rights, and the integrity of Creation. Development that destroys communities, violates ancestral land rights, militarizes territories, or places creation at greater risk cannot be considered genuine development.
The pursuit of accountability is a continuing task. We remain committed to seeking justice for the victims and survivors of Martial Law, while demanding accountability for human rights violations, corruption, and abuses in the present. We say: “Lahat ng sangkot, mula sa tuktok, dapat managot”.
As people of faith, may our churches remain steadfast witnesses to truth and justice. May our pulpits proclaim good news to the poor and speak courageously against corruption, oppression, and abuse of power. May our churches become sanctuaries of accompaniment, solidarity, and hope for those whose rights and dignity are threatened.
Let us remember the courage of those who resisted dictatorship and stand with those who continue to defend life, land, human rights, and creation. May the horrors of the past strengthen our resolve to prevent its repetition. Let us hold those in power accountable and work together toward a society where no one is silenced for speaking the truth, no community is displaced in the name of development, and no person is deprived of the fullness of life. #
Signed and issued on this day, 21st of September 2026.
(Sgd.) The Most Rev. Brent Harry W. Alawas
Chairperson
(Sgd.) Bishop Joseph G. Agpaoa
Vice Chairperson for Men
(Sgd.) Ms. Jennifer Ferariza-Meneses
Vice-Chairperson for Women
(Sgd.) Rev. Jon Dave A. Angeles
Vice Chairperson for Youth
(Sgd.) Rev. Leonardo R. Morada
Corporate Treasurer
(Sgd.) Ms. Minnie Anne Mata-Calub
General Secretary
