Question & AnswerQ&A (GENERAL ORDER NO. 8)
The purpose of General Order No. 8 is to empower the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to create special military tribunals to try and decide cases of military personnel and other cases referred to them, pursuant to the declaration of martial law under Proclamation No. 1081.
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has the power to create military tribunals to try cases involving military personnel and other cases referred to them.
Military tribunals are authorized to try cases involving military personnel and such other cases that may be referred to them by the Commander-in-Chief.
Martial law was declared because of wanton destruction of lives and property, widespread lawlessness and anarchy, and chaos and disorder caused by groups actively engaged in a criminal conspiracy to seize political and state power by force and violence, amounting to an actual war against the people and government.
September 21, 1972 is the date when Proclamation No. 1081 was issued, officially declaring martial law throughout the Philippines, which serves as the legal basis for General Order No. 8 issued later on September 27, 1972.
The order primarily authorizes military tribunals to try cases of military personnel and other cases that may be referred to them, but it does not explicitly extend jurisdiction to civilians unless their cases are specifically referred to military tribunals.
General Order No. 8 references General Order No. 3 dated September 22, 1972, which ordered that certain criminal cases be tried by special military tribunals created by the Commander-in-Chief.
The government cited widespread lawlessness, anarchy, chaos, disorder, and a criminal conspiracy aimed at seizing government power by force, which had reached the scale of an actual war against the people and their legitimate government.