School walkouts to mark 44th anniversary of martial law

MANILA, Philippines – Several groups are set to commemorate today the 44th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Militant youth groups will mark the commemoration with the youth day for education, peace and human rights with various activities in different schools in Metro Manila.

Local walkouts are scheduled at noon today at the University of the Philippines campuses in Diliman and Manila, as well as in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Manila.

The student groups will then march to Mendiola, where a figurehead of Marcos will be burnt and a candle lighting activity for the victims of martial law and extrajudicial killings will be held.

The League of Filipino Students (LFS) urged education stakeholders to take part in the activities, which primarily seek to call for education reforms in the current administration.

“We also unite to express our concern over the spate of extrajudicial killings and the threats of the possible return of martial law. Let us stand up against the move to bury the late dictator and plunderer Ferdinand Marcos as a hero,” the group said in a statement.

“We stand up for just and lasting peace and support the resumption of formal peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. We hope that the success of the initial talks lead to freedom of all political prisoners and significant socio-economic reforms to address the roots of armed conflict,” the LFS added.