# General Order No. 3 (Marcos)

Source: Official Gazette. Vol. 68, No. 40. Office of the President. 1972. pp. 7779–7780.
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MALACAÑANG RESIDENCE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES MANILA
GENERAL ORDER No. 3
Whereas, martial law having been declared under Proclamation No. 1081 dated Sept. 21, 1972 and is now in effect throughout the land;
Whereas, martial law having been declared because of wanton destruction of lives and property, widespread lawlessness and anarchy, and chaos and disorder now prevailing throughout the country, which condition has been brought about by groups of men who are actively engaged in a criminal conspiracy to seize political and state power in the Philippines in 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 make more effective the implementation of the aforesaid Proclamation No. 1081 without unduly affecting the operations of the Government, and in order to end the present national emergency within the shortest possible time:
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 all executive departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, government-owned or controlled corporations, as well as all governments of all the provinces, cities, municipalities and barrios throughout the land shall continue to function under their present officers and employees and in accordance with existing laws, until otherwise ordered by me or by my duly designated representative.
I do hereby further order that the Judiciary shall continue to function in accordance with its present organization and personnel, and shall try and decide in accordance with existing laws all criminal and civil cases, except the following cases.
    1. Those involving the validity, legality or constitutionality of any decree, order or acts issued, promulgated or performed by me or by my duly designated representative pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated Sept. 21, 1972. 2. Those involving the validity, legality or constitutionality of any rules, orders or acts issued, promulgated or performed by public servants pursuant to decrees, orders, rules and regulations issued and promulgated by me or by my duly designated representative pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081, dated Sept. 21, 1972. 3. Those involving crimes against national security and the law of the nations. 4. Those involving crimes against the fundamental laws of the State. 5. Those involving crimes against public order. 6. Those crimes involving usurpation of authority, rank, title, and improper use of names, uniforms, and insignia. 7. Those involving crimes committed by public officers.
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
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