In a powerful statement, human rights lawyer and Martial Law survivor Democrito Barcenas has declared that the legacy and journey of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile will ultimately be judged by history. Barcenas, who was imprisoned and tortured during the regime of the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., identified Enrile as the architect and enforcer of Martial Law, which led to a brutal and bloody dictatorship.
The Architect of a Dark Era
Barcenas did not mince words in his historical assessment. He described Enrile, who held positions from Defense Minister to Senate President and later served in the administrations of Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as a long-standing polarizing figure. For decades, Enrile has maintained that Martial Law was necessary to suppress threats from communist and secessionist movements.
However, Barcenas countered this narrative by emphasizing the profound human cost. He stated that the declaration of Martial Law left behind thousands of grieving widows and orphans, a testament to the widespread suffering it inflicted upon the Filipino people.
A Personal Story of Suffering
The abstract political debate becomes painfully concrete in Barcenas's personal testimony. On September 21, 1972, Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law. Just two days later, on September 23, Barcenas was arrested by a group led by a certain Col. Zuluete.
He was then imprisoned at Camp Sergio Osmeña for three months. Barcenas described those days as the darkest of his life, not only because of his incarceration but also due to the immense strain on his family. His wife, Lourdes, was eight months pregnant at the time. She was forced to travel daily from her teaching post at St. Catherine’s School in Carcar, located 40 kilometers from Cebu City, to visit him and bring him food.
Despite never being formally charged with any crime, Barcenas was only released on December 23, 1972.
A Legacy for History to Judge
The account of Democrito Barcenas stands as a stark reminder of a tumultuous period in Philippine history. It challenges longstanding justifications for Martial Law by foregrounding the visceral experiences of its victims. While figures like Juan Ponce Enrile have shaped the nation's political landscape for generations, Barcenas's testimony insists that the final verdict on their roles during that dark chapter is not yet complete. He places his faith in the enduring judgment of history to weigh the actions of the regime's architects against the suffering of its countless victims.
