LAST September 21, many Filipinos took to the streets to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines.

As expected, a number of organizations held mass actions to bring attention to the political situation within the Philippines, fighting for issues like the call to junk the Anti-Terror Law and the defense of academic freedom.

In preparation for this, numerous police squads were sent out to different areas to ensure that these protests wouldn’t get out of hand. 

Since the mass actions were about Martial Law, people were of course going to be angry as they remembered this dark part of Philippine history.

What people didn’t expect, though, was that the Philippine National Police would not only try to block their paths as they marched but would also take attention away from their cause – and with a band, of all things. 

In front of the Police Regional Office 7 in Cebu City, several members of the PNP loudly played music in front of a group of people who were peacefully protesting. In one video posted by Rappler, the PNP personnel were seen singing Zombie by The Cranberries with smiles on their faces. 

Netizens were quick to point out the irony in their song choice, noting that the Cranberries wrote this song as a response to those unjustly killed during a bombing in England. Quite literally, it is a song about resistance, being sung for something opposite to its purpose.

Youth’s reactions

Since this video has been posted on the internet, a number of people have expressed their disappointment toward the PNP’s actions. 

One netizen under Rappler’s post on X writes: “Why would the PNP act like this? This is so rude and unprofessional. Instead of protecting the citizens from those who do not wish for them to exert their right to speech, what does the PNP hope to accomplish in countering voices from a legitimate public assembly?”

X user Sadbattrol asked if the law enforcers’ mini-concert had a permit, given that the PNP, only hours before, had been asking protesters for permits to allow them to continue on with their respective programs.

Another user argues: “Protesting and the freedom to assemble is a constitutional right. We may not agree with what they’re saying but we must protect their right to say it.” 

There are some, though, who have replied in defense of the PNP. 

One reply asks: “Pag dispersed, rude na? Pag kanta, rude pa rin?”

To this, X user William Balderama replied: “Why would anyone drown out chanting if not for [a] sinister purpose?”

A dark history

It’s important to remember that  thousands of lives were taken by the Marcos dictatorship during Martial Law. 

In total, there were 11,103  human rights violations, 3,355 arbitrary detentions, 3,318 who went into involuntary exile, 1,922 who were tortured, 182 who suffered inhumane treatment, and 2,326 who were either killed or simply disappeared without a trace.

Despite this, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.  has stated that he will not apologize for his father’s time as president, and that he can only apologize for what he himself has done. 

Many are also being taught that the time of Former President Ferdinand Marcos was the Golden Age in the Philippines, though the Department of Education has claimed that there has been no such historical revisionism applied to the current education modules being taught today.

No matter who you may side with, the right to protest is the constitutional right of every Filipino, and such a right should be respected instead of being drowned out with distractions, especially by the police, of all people.