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CHAPTER 1
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CHAPTER 2
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CHAPTER 3
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CHAPTER 4
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CHAPTER 5
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CHAPTER 6
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CHAPTER 7
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      No sooner had the Huk menace disappeared when another evil arose. This was dirty politics. Unscrupulous politicians, by means of "gold, goons, and guns," perpetuated themselves in power. Most elections since the Quirino administration were tainted with massive vote-buying and election frauds. Aside from the scandalous buying of votes, certain avaricious politicians hired armed goons and maintained private armies to terrorize the people to vote for them. As a consequence, politicians, especially in Pagsanjan, acquired a bad reputation which is quite unfair because not all politicians are bad.
      Before the war, politicians were fine breed of men. They were God-fearing, honest, and with integrity and social conscience. Many of them died poor because they spent their family funds for the welfare of the people. Because of their dedication to public service and their noble character, they were beloved and respected by the people. Contrary-wise, the postwar politicians were a disreputable breed of men who used their positions in the government to enrich themselves. Thus it came to pass that many politicians who were poor when they were elected into office became millionaires within the span of a few years.
      During the era of dirty politics (1954-1971), the municipal government of Pagsanjan (also in numerous municipalities in the country) deteriorated. The local officials corrupted the people by buying the latter's votes during elections. And the people, on their turn, corrupted the officials by demanding a high price of their votes and even continued to ask money from officials after the elections. The town voters, with exceptions, of course, were not interested in the election issues and in the character and qualifications of the candidates; what concerned them mostly was "how much can the candidates give them for their votes." No wonder, they had a corrupt government which they deserved. As Dr, Jose Rizal said in his famous essay The indolence of the Filipinos: "Peoples and government are correlated and complimentary. A corrupt government is an anomaly among a righteous people, just as a corrupt people cannot exist under rulers and wise laws. Like people, like government."

The Drift Toward Chaos

      Aside from dirty politics, our nation was plagued by serious problems which menaced our Republic and society. Among these problems were the unchecked rampage of graft and corruption in all levels of our government -- national, provincial, city, and municipal; the widening gap between the rich and the poor; the rising tide of criminality and lawlessness; and the emerging peril of the NPA (New People's Army) and Maoist student subversives. As the years rolled by, these problems worsened, causing the rise of a national crisis.
      On the night of August 21, 1971, the Liberal Party held a rally at Plaza Miranda, Manila, to proclaim the eight NP senatorial candidates and the candidates for positions in the City of Manila in the coming local elections on November 8, 1971. Just as Governor Felicisimo T. San Luis of Laguna (the master-of-ceremonies) was announcing the names of the NP candidates, suddenly two fragmentation grenades, hurled by unidentified persons, exploded on the platform, killing eight persons and wounding 120. Among those wounded, seriously or otherwise, were Senator Jovito Salonga; Senator Sergio Osmeña, Jr., and wife; Senator Gerardo Roxas and wife; Congressman John Osmeña; Congressman Ramon Mitra; ex-Congressman Eddie Ilarde; Congressman Ramon Bagatsing, NP candidate for Mayor of Manila; and Governor San Luis of Laguna.
      The "Plaza Miranda Massacre" aroused the anger of our nation. The Pagsanjeños, who believe in fair play and justice, were openly indignant. Many of them had witnessed the dastard crime on their TV sets.
      A few hours after the "massacre," President Marcos signed Proclamation No. 889 suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the entire country.