In a hurriedly drafted proclamation that sounded eerily like the one Marcos
signed when he declared martial law in 1972, Arroyo banned rallies and or-
dered the arrest of those who dared defy the ban. Tanks and heavily armed
troops were sent to Edsa. The presidential palace was surrounded by barbed wire,
container vans, and battalions of battle-ready soldiers.
That morning in February saw the meeting of the two most powerful narratives
of recent Philippine history, the declaration of martial law in 1972 and
the 1986 popular uprising. What Filipinos got in 2006 were pale versions of
both. The attempted uprising fizzled as water cannons and truncheons were
unleashed on protesters. The state of emergency lasted only three weeks: Ar-
royo faced widespread opposition to repressive measures. Months later, the
Supreme Court declared illegal the official acts committed under the emergency
proclamation.