Text of General Order No. 5

the dark side of the force has descended on the land, such are the ways of that evil female hobbitt.

[…] The Akbayan petition assailed Proclamation 1017 and the attendant General Order No. 5 as "effectively impos(ing) a de facto state of martial law without following the requirements for such imposition mandated under Article VII, Section 18 of the Constitution, and as they arbitrarily and invalidly impinge on constitutionally protected rights to the freedoms of speech, of the press, and of assembly." […]

GENERAL ORDER No. 5, September 22, 1972

WHEREAS, Proclamation No.1081 dated Sept. 21,1972, was issued by me because of a grave national emergency now prevailing throughout the country which has been brought about by the activities of groups of men now actively engaged in a criminal conspiracy to seize political power and state power in the Philippines in r order to take over the Government by force and violence, the extent of which has now assumed the proportion of an actual war against our people and their legitimate Government; and

WHEREAS, in order to restore the tranquility and stability of the nation in the quickest possible manner, it is necessary to prohibit the inhabitants of the country from doing certain acts or undertaking certain activities such as rallies, demonstrations, picketing or strikes in certain vital industries, and other forms of group actions which would cause hysteria or panic among the populace or would incense the people against their legitimate Government, or would generate sympathy for the radical and lawless element, or would aggravate the already critical political and social turmoil now prevailing throughout the land;lawphil.net

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ferdinand E. Marcos, Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and pursuant to Proclamation No.1081 dated Sept. 21, 1972, do hereby order that henceforth and until otherwise ordered by me or by my duly designated representative, all rallies, demonstrations and other forms of group actions by persons within the geographical limits of the Philippines, including strikes and picketing in vital industries such as in companies engaged in the manufacture or processing as well as in the distribution of fuel gas, gasoline, and fuel or lubricating oil, in companies engaged in the production or processing of essential commodities or products for exports, and in companies engaged in banking of any kind, as well as in hospitals and in schools and colleges, are strictly prohibited and any person violating this order shall forthwith be arrested and taken into custody and held for the duration of the national emergency or until he or she is otherwise ordered released by me or by my designated representative.

Done in the City of Manila, this 22nd day of September, in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-two.

(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President
Republic of the Philippines

[…] Arroyo through Proclamation No. 1017 and the subsequently issued General Order No. 5 usurped and continues to unconstitutionally usurp legislative powers; […]

[…] Proclamation 1017 and the two General Orders that implemented it have been met with staunch opposition from several political, human rights, and media groups following a series of warrantless arrests, arbitrary detentions, and even threats of possible takeover of media outfits. […]

[…] In a statement released to the media, PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said the police were merely following orders issued by Malacanang through Proclamation No. 1017, and General Order No. 5 which implemented it. […]

[…] THE Supreme Court has denied with finality the government’s appeal to uphold as valid in their entirety Presidential Proclamation 1017, declaring a state of national emergency in February, and General Order No. 5 which implemented it. […]

[…] The 2006 Supreme Court decision declared Presidential Proclamation 1017 and General Order No. 5 as unconstitutional in the absence of an internationally accepted definition of terrorism. Both presidential orders directed the the police and military to “immediately carry out the necessary and appropriate actions and measures to suppress and prevent acts of terrorism and lawless violence.” […]